While the retirement age is one of the major issues in the presidential campaign, more and more retirees are being forced to return to work. This is the case Dominique, 69, on a permanent contract in the cheese department of the hyper U in Mende for almost a year. With 800 euros pension per monththe retiree could not make ends meet.
On a full-time permanent contract
Dominique’s day starts at 4:30. It is still dark when she parks in the parking lot of the hyper U in Mende. “You have to have your eyes wide open at this hour“, she confides. But the employee is not not one to complain. “I do not care. Work keeps me fit“, she assures. When wheels of cheese have to be carried, she does not ask for help. “I don’t make a difference with young people”.
From time to time, Dominique admits feeling pain, especially because of repetitive tasks such as cutting cheese. But then again, according to her, “it’s normal. Pain, we feel it at any age”.
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Today, her colleagues Émilie and Myriam have gotten used to her presence, but they admit they were a little surprised to see her arrive. “I wondered what she was doing there! Why wasn’t she retired yet?”, recalls Émilie, 22 years old. The girl finds that”shameful“. At her age, she wouldn’t like to have to work.”At 69, Dominique should be quiet at home, enjoying her husband”, judge for her part Myriam.
Lack of manpower in Lozère
Retirees still working. It could well become more and more frequent, believes Jean-Michel Brun, director of the Hyper U of Mende. “In Lozère, the unemployment rate is very low”, explains the boss. “We are really struggling to recruit.So when you meet people who are determined to work. We hire them”, he rejoices.
And yet, if Dominique had been able to retire, she would have traded the shelves of the cheese dairy for the Irish landscapes. She who has never travelled. But for the moment, it is not on the agenda. His work earns him 1,200 euros per month. So as long as her body allows it, the active retiree will continue to go to work.
