Retired Persons’ Trade Union of Croatia

The Retired Persons’ Trade Union of Croatia (SUH) is a voluntary, nonpartisan and humanitarian civil society association of retired people in Croatia, which uses trade union forms of action to fight for the realisation of social, economic and civil rights of retired and elderly people. It was founded on 18 August 1992. It has been publishing “Glas umirovljenika” (The voice of retired people) monthly since 1995 and has had a registered legal and psychological counselling centre for 15 years. 
It has been fully associated with the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia since 1993, and since 2004 it has been a member of the European Federation of Retired and Elderly People (FERPA) and takes a very active role in its activities. 
SUH has called for the equality of women and men since its beginning, and advocates a gender quota of at least 40% for each of the sexes in its Charter. In cooperation with women’s trade union groups, Women’s Network Croatia and CESI (Centre for Education, Counselling and Research), it has actively participated in discussions and initiatives concerning gender pay and pension gaps. Through the National Council for Pensioners and the Elderly, SUH has strongly advocated the improvement of the status of retired women and their protection from poverty during negotiations on pension reform.
SUH has often called for the authorities to adopt various measures to help women who, due to lower pay and the unequal distribution of caring responsibilities between women and men, have up to 25% lower pensions. This is especially reflected in the reduced economic independence of women, which is experienced most extremely in old age. SUH is especially dedicated to making changes to the way pensions are calculated, with a view to recognising women’s unpaid work related to their children, family and household, and to a new model of family pensions.    

www.suh.hr