For more news and videos visit ☛ http://english.ntdtv.com
Follow us on Twitter ☛ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision
Add us on Facebook ☛ http://on.fb.me/s5KV2C
The so-called "Esodati", or income-less victims of Italy's new pension reforms, take to the streets to call attention to their plight. They took a special early retirement, only to find the government raised the retirement age and left them without an income, possibly for several years. Our correspondents bring you the story.
In Italian they're called the "Esodati" -- victims of Italy's Eurozone crisis-driven pension reform plan.
They're stuck in a no-income no-man's-land because they agreed to go on a special kind of early retirement.
But what they didn't bank on was the Italian government raising the retirement age on them.
[Francesco Abodi, Demonstrator ]:
"We are a category of people who made an agreement with their employers to quit their job under certain conditions. Now this agreement is being ignored with the excuse that there is a lack of funds."
So the Esodati are taking to the streets to call attention to their plight. And in extreme cases, they could even face several years without an income until they reach the new retirement age.
[Roberto Boscia: Regional HR Chief, Orange Business Services]:
"Some arrangements have been made for these people to leave before reaching retirement, to free up jobs for young people. The problem is that when these people did enter into an agreement with the companies and accepted some financial compensation to see them through until retirement age, the government has increased the retirement age and therefore these people instead of retiring in a year will go in five years."
Italy's trade unions are throwing their weight behind the Esodati. According to trade union representatives, there are 200 000 of these victims of Italy's pension reforms and this number could even reach 350 thousand.
