Dear reader,

My name is Peter Copek, a former dance artist, employed in German state theaters for over 5 years. I reach out to you in regards to the Bayerische Versorgungskammer and its supplementary retirement package.

Every year dozens of our colleagues leave the profession to start a new chapter and thus they would like to rely on their assets saved up through their years of service at the Bayerische Versorgungskammer. 

Many of us would decide on a new study to embrace a new profession, some would open a business, some would invest and some would be happy to use it as retirement support.

However, the picture is not so simple and as we all know, our lives can hold unexpected turns, different wishes and surprising hardships.

With this letter I address a call for your cooperation to change and better how this organization conducts and deals with our hard earned savings.

As the years pass, the payouts become more and more complicated, the rules are unclear for many dancers. As the years pass, the payout process becomes more and more complicated,  thus the dancers have a frustrating time navigating this labyrinth.

By signing this petition letter to the Bayerische Landtag (Bavarian Parliament), we can have a chance for a change and better professional treatment.

The petition points are the following:

1. Clear communication of terms and rules
   Before any rule changes, the dance community should be informed and proposed as this is our right. If there is a disagreement, we should have the right to refuse those rules
2. Before signing into this insurance service, the employers should clearly inform every new coming dancer at an accurate, clear and transparent way, so there is no misunderstanding
3. Dancers who become injured and must give up their professions, the 60 months of payment rule should be eliminated as they worked, paid in and they deserve a final compensation
4. The payouts should apply for existential matters too (bankruptcy, unexpected life events, health crisis etc)
5. If a dancer wants to open a business or invest into a property, they should have the right to pay these costs with the released money, instead of paying out of their pockets, therefore prolonging their debts. 
6. Our supplementary retirement should not be used as a pension asset to solve the existing retirement crisis in Germany. We have the right to access our funds and we should not suffer the consequences of this. If we apply for our funds, we must get it without extra obstacles

It is our basic human right to be informed, respected and have a guarantee of dignity. What we earned is only ours and no one has the right to hold it due to any underlying motives.

If you agree with this, please:

Sign this letter as an individual, dancer or as a theater ballet company or both

Thank you for your attention,

Peter Copek