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The Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU) is demanding the fair implementation of a federal retirement law to ensure decent living conditions for retirees in their region of Iraq.

KTU President Abdulwahed Mohammad Haje, explained that though Iraq has approved new legislation to improve retirement conditions for education workers, teachers in the Kurdistan region are being forced to retire under a less favorable previous law.

“Many retired teachers, after dedicating the best years of their lives to their profession, were forced to retire with significantly lower incomes and lost other benefits, as if their years of service were rendered meaningless,” he lamented.

The Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU) argues that retired teachers are no longer seen as “useful.” Haje emphasized that “retired teachers deserve a comfortable and decent life. Unfortunately, the regional government has shown a lack of concern for this issue.”

Central government's appreciated efforts

In contrast, the Iraqi central government took significant steps to improve the lives of its retirees. In 2014, they passed Law No. 9, which increased salaries, provided life and certificate insurance, and offered a much better end-of-service reward. Instead of just six salaries, retirees received 18 salaries, enough to start a small business or cover their needs.

“Betrayal” by the regional government

The Kurdistan Region did not implement this new law, which was “a significant betrayal to retired individuals,” Haje stressed. Despite continuous efforts by KTU and other organizations to push for the application of the federal law, the government continued to turn a deaf ear. In 2022, retirees took their case to the Federal Court, which canceled Law No. 27 of 2006 and mandated the application of Law No. 9 of 2014.

Delayed implementation of the law

The KTU leader noted that, even after the court's decision, the regional government failed to act, adding to the injustice that retirees had already endured for over a decade. By July 2024, due to mounting pressure, Kurdistan’s Government began to apply part of the law. By early 2025, Iraq’s Ministry of Finance compelled the Kurdistan Region to fully implement Law No. 9.

Retired teachers demand answers

Now, retired teachers are asking questions, Haje said:

1. Why was Law No. 9 not applied during the last 11 years, causing significant losses?
2. Why were they given only six months' worth of salaries as an end-of-service reward instead of the full 18 months?
3. Why were salary raises stopped from 2016 onwards, resulting in a loss of 100,000 dinars (equivalent to 67 euros) to 150,000 dinars (around 100 euros) per month for each retiree?
4. Why were the pensions of Kurdish teachers from Kirkuk, Khanaqin, and Mosul, who were mostly hired after 2003, not adjusted to account for their military service, degrees, or salary raises?

Continuing the fight

These questions highlight the need for KTU to continue the fight to see Law No. 9 fully implemented. The legal rights of retirees were unjustly taken away, and it is time to reclaim them. As Haje stated: "It is a well-known fact that rights are obtained with difficulty and not provided easily."