Federico Fuentes, an 81-year-old retired teacher, receives a pension of approximately €2,300 per month, a higher amount than the about €2,000 he earned as a salary before retiring. In an interview with the Spanish digital newspaper Noticias Trabalho, he jokingly stated that he "retired to earn more". After more than 30 years of public service in Barcelona, he considers himself a lucky one and guarantees that the income allows him to live peacefully and save.
The former teacher describes public service as "a job for life", valuing predictability and stability as the main advantages. Federico contrasts this security with the risk of closure or bankruptcy existing in private companies. He also recalls that he started working in an era of low wages and demanding schedules, conditions that improved after labor claims and strikes in the education sector.
Federico also expressed confidence in the public pension system, rejecting criticism from younger workers about mandatory contributions. "If it weren't like this, there would be no pensions," he stated, defending solidarity between generations as the basis of the system. Those who work and contribute finance current pensions, expecting to benefit from the same protection in the future.
The article also explains that, in Portugal, workers admitted to public service since January 1, 2006 have been enrolled in the general Social Security scheme, while those already registered with the General Retirement Fund remain in the Convergent Social Protection Scheme. The pension amount depends on the scheme, years of contributions, registered remuneration, and retirement age.
