Retirees demonstrate in front of the Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture on December 3, 2024. A rally called by nine trade union organizations. In particular, they demand the indexation of pensions to inflation. Like many, Hélène sticks her tongue out at the decline in her purchasing power.
Hélène's caddy is not very complicated to push after shopping. It's not very full. The amount of the receipt is, however, much heavier.. “I got it for 51 euros”whispers the retiree. “There's nothing though. Look at this cheese, it's top-notch. I can't afford to buy a cheese for 3 euros”she laments.
1,300 euros pension per month
At 66 years old, Hélène is a young retiree. She stopped working a year ago. But today his retirement pension is not enough for him : “I receive 1,300 euros per month.” She explains that she only has 150 euros per month after deducting all her expenses.
So this Nancy woman has no choice. She looks at the prices per kilo and turns the heating on a little lower. All means are good to save money. “I’m trying to reduce all my bills because otherwise I won’t get by”she says.
“We really don’t get paid in retirement for what we did”
Prices that increase faster than retirement pensions. As the end-of-year holidays approach, this grandmother has already decided the question of gifts : “I already told my family that I couldn’t anymore. And yet I am a grandmother who gives a lot.”
Hélène worked for 30 years as a linen worker in a nursing home. Three decades of bending down and carrying sometimes heavy loads. She didn't imagine her retirement like this. “I would have thought that I would have been peaceful. We really don’t get paid in retirement for what we have done in our life”she denounces.
Of the 17 million retirees in France, just over a million now live below the poverty line.
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