Civil service head Volker Geyer opposes extended working years for public servants
In a recent discussion on social security systems, the Pestel Institute's proposal for different working lives for various groups, including civil servants, has been one of the key considerations.
The Pestel Institute's proposal is based on the observation that there are differences in average lifespans among various occupational groups. The Institute suggests that civil servants, particularly those in less physically demanding roles, may need to work longer due to their longer life expectancy.
However, the proposal has met with opposition. Volker Geyer, the Federal Chairman of the German Civil Servants' Association, has voiced his disapproval, questioning the discussion of different lifespans at a broad level.
The German Civil Servants’ Federation (DBB) opposes extending service duration, criticizing the Pestel Institute’s approach for lacking methodological accuracy. They argue that individual life expectancy varies widely, making uniform policies inappropriate. The DBB believes that basing retirement policy solely on average life expectancy ignores this diversity.
The Police Union (GdP) also rejects the idea of longer working lives for civil servants, particularly for their members who face intense physical and psychological demands, especially those doing shift work or operational duties. Despite initial health screenings, police officers tend to have a lower life expectancy than the national average, contradicting the assumption that civil servants generally live longer.
Critics from unions argue that statistical averages cannot justify lengthening service for all civil servants, as many face demanding working conditions that may reduce individual life expectancy. Instead, they advocate for policies that optimize labor resources through investment in early education, vocational training, and skilled labor migration.
In summary, the arguments against prolonging civil servants’ working life include concerns about life expectancy variability, high occupational stress, fairness concerns, and the preference for alternative reforms. These objections are grounded in practical and social justice considerations and highlight skepticism toward using average life expectancy as the sole criterion for pension reform among civil servants in Germany.
Volker Geyer, in an interview with the Funke media group's Saturday editions, expressed his opposition to the proposal for a longer working life for civil servants, finding it absurd. He did not express support for the Pestel Institute's proposal.
The debate about social security systems, as mentioned by Volker Geyer, includes the proposal for a longer working life for civil servants. This proposal is part of the broader discussion on the working life of civil servants in Germany.
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The Pestel Institute's proposal for different working lives, which involves longer service durations for civil servants, has stirred an opposition in political discussions, as policy-and-legislation related to social security systems comes under scrutiny.
Critics from unions, including the German Civil Servants' Association, the Police Union (GdP), and the Funke media group, question the use of average life expectancy to make uniform policies and instead advocate for fairer reforms that take into account individual life circumstances, job demands, and various general-news factors.
