The Luxembourg government’s proposed pension reforms continue to face mounting criticism, with the Luxembourg Association for all Employees with a need for Assistance (ALEBA) becoming the latest organisation to denounce the plans.
The reforms, announced recently, would require employees to work three additional months per year starting in 2030. The proposal has drawn sharp rebukes from trade unions and professional organisations.
In a strongly worded statement, ALEBA criticised the government’s approach, citing a “lack of transparency in the reform process” and unaddressed concerns previously submitted to the relevant minister. The union explicitly opposes what it describes as an “unjustified deterioration in retirement conditions,” particularly the extended contribution periods, which it argues would disproportionately affect younger workers.
ALEBA is demanding the immediate release of detailed financial data underpinning the reforms. The union advocates for alternative measures including removing the pension contribution cap, strengthening supplementary pension schemes (Pillars 2 and 3) through higher contribution limits, and implementing fair taxation on profits generated by AI and new technologies.
The union also outlined additional policy positions addressing broader labour concerns. Regarding social dialogue, ALEBA is pushing for legally guaranteed participation rights for all trade unions with elected representatives in both sectoral and company-level collective agreement negotiations. “We strongly endorse the European target of 80% employee coverage by collective agreements and expect the government to implement concrete, measurable actions to achieve this,” the union stated.
On taxation policy, ALEBA referenced the coalition agreement’s pledge to establish a single tax class, characterising this as “a crucial commitment for achieving genuine tax equity in Luxembourg.”
Addressing the planned nationwide protest on 28 June, ALEBA urged fellow unions to prioritise dialogue, suggesting stakeholders should first convene negotiations to “formulate unified, legitimate demands representing workers across all economic sectors.”
