Protests - Reul appeals for understanding for retirement from 62 in the fire department
In view of the protests of the professional fire department, NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) has appealed for understanding for his plans to raise the retirement age for full-time firefighters. Reul justified the planned increase from 60 to up to 62 years of age on Thursday with the foreseeable shortage of specialists and personnel. He emphasized in a debate in the state parliament that the planned increase in the age limit was only a proposal so far and was now being heard by the associations. Only then will there be a draft law, and the final decision will be made by the state parliament anyway. "So we are nowhere near the end of the process," said Reul.
Firefighters ended a 24-hour vigil in front of the state parliament on Thursday afternoon to protest against Reul's plans. The opposition from the SPD and FDP demanded that the current age limit of 60 be left untouched
He is only planning a "moderate" increase, said Reul. "Sometimes you get the impression that this would be the downfall of the entire profession." By comparison, there are 88,000 volunteer firefighters in NRW. "They do it alongside their job," said Reul. Around 10,000 firefighters are employed as professional firefighters, with a further 5,000 working for company fire departments. The debate is only about full-time firefighters. For the vast majority of them - the middle ranks - the retirement limit should only be raised by one year. Incidentally, the police also have an age limit of 62. "And ask people who work in construction or who retire at 67 what they think of this debate."
FDP motion SPD motion
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- Despite the demonstrations by the fire department in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Minister Reul from the CDU party continues to advocate for an age limit increase for full-time firefighters, from 60 to up to 62 years, to address the upcoming specialist and personnel shortage.
- Herbert Reul, the Interior Minister of NRW, explained that the proposal to raise the retirement age is still under consideration and seeks feedback from associations before drafting a legal proposal, which eventually needs approval from the state parliament in Düsseldorf.
- Spokespeople from the SPD and FDP in NRW appealed to maintain the current age limit of 60 for full-time firefighters, expressing concerns about the impact of the proposed changes on the profession.
- The firefighters' union and other trade unions added their voices to the opposition, voicing concerns about the consequences of raising the retirement age on the professional firefighters, including their workload, well-being, and long-term stability within the force.
- In contrast, Reul emphasized that only lower-ranking employees would see a 1-year increase in their retirement age, and pointed out that many volunteer firefighters in NRW, who make up a substantial portion of the force, work alongside their day jobs.
- Some members of the fire and rescue departments in NRW argue that raising the retirement age may lead to critical staffing issues, as the demand for specialized firefighters does not decrease but increases due to infrastructure developments, urbanization, and climate change.
- Meanwhile, discussions about the proposed changes continue, attracting interest and opinions from various organizations, professionals, and the general public in North Rhine-Westphalia's State Parliament, potentially shaping the future of the state's fire prevention and rescue services in Düsseldorf.
Source: www.stern.de
