Victory! Peruvian construction workers win the right to retire at 55

After a long and hard-fought struggle, Peruvian workers with at least 15 years of contribution to the public pension system can now retire at the age of 55. 

This historic achievement is a return to a 1982 victory by the Peruvian construction workers when they successfully campaigned for a lower retirement age. This was however repealed in 1992 by the dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori, favouring private pension fund administrators. 

Federation of Civil Construction Workers of Peru (FCCWP) General Secretary Luis Villanueva Carbajal warmly celebrated the victory and reported that they expect the policy to take full effect after Congress sends the passed measure to the President for promulgation, and publication in the official newspaper El Peruano. 

According to official statistics, most construction workers (75%) are in the informal sector and in low-investment projects, such as house remodeling or low-to-medium cost projects, with almost no practice of contributions to the pension system. Labour conditions are reportedly strenuous, work days are long and workers are exposed to various health-risks. 

Such conditions dissuade workers from contributing more years to their pension funds. According to government figures, in March 2021 alone, of the 389,633 civil construction workers registered, only 348 received their pensions, or just 0.089 percent of the registered workers.