Retired members of the AMWU joined pensioners at a rally at Victorian Parliament House today, to highlight the plight of older Australians living in near poverty.
 
Around 100 pensioners and supporters called for the pension to be increased to 35% of the average adult wage.
 
Representatives from the Fair Go For Pensioners Coalition spoke of the need for State and Federal Governments to take action on the pension.
 
With 77% of the over-65 population receiving the pension, it’s an issue that governments can ill afford to ignore. Many pensioners survive on or below the poverty level, with over half making do with just $20 a week of private income.
 
Frank Cherry, Secretary of the AMWU’s Retired Members’ Division, is also the National Coordinator of the Fair Go For Pensioners Coalition, who organised the rally.
 
“We’re rallying today to highlight the plight of pensioners, both to the State and Federal Government, and to begin the second stage of our campaign to increase the pension“, he said.
 
The AMWU’s Retired Members’ Division is one of the founding members of the Coalition, which is made up of progressive and community organisations including the Council on the Ageing, ethnic community councils, church groups and retired members’ divisions of various trade unions.
 
In her address to the rally, Patricia Reeve, National Chairperson of the Fair Go For Pensioners Coalition, spoke of the additional difficulties faced by Aboriginal pensioners and read out a letter of support from Brian Boyd, Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council:
 
“Social justice for retirees is a natural and logical extension of our campaign for social justice in the workplace. Pensioners are right to get organised and in turn place progressive demands on both state and federal governments.”
 
Frank described the rally as a successful launch to the second phase of the campaign, which will see the Fair Go For Pensioners Coalition travel to Canberra in August to take their fight to a national level.
 
“We’re very happy with the outcome of today’s rally. We had some wonderful representatives from seven or eight various organisations right across the board, including church, indigenous and Greek community groups. It’s a great lead-up as we head off to Federal Parliament to continue our campaign.”