Former electrician at the RATP, Didier Wampas, leader of the rock group Les Wampas, has lived a happy retirement since his 50th birthday. Now living in Sète, he gave an interview to the “Télégramme” in which he opposes the reform carried out by the government.
At a time when the debate on pension reform is raging and arousing majority rejection from the French, in the street and in the polls, the rock singer Didier Wampas just adds its own bell note to the ambient cacophony. Interviewed by The Telegramhe says to be A “happy retiree” since taking leave from the RATP 10 years ago, at the age of 50.
Didier Wampas and the RATP: behind the scenes of his former profession
“When you do a job that doesn’t interest you much and is a little hard, you want to leave. So I left the RATP where, for 30 years, I did the 3 x 8“he explains, adding that he was able to benefit from the special pension scheme of the transport company. “Today, I am a happy retiree: I make music, I give concerts, I practice kayaking and cycling…”, enthuses the leader of the group Les Wampas in the columns of the newspaper. He is based in the South of France.
How much does Didier Wampas earn when he retires? A sum more than “adequate”
Today, this former RATP electrician believes he is earning a retirement “suitable”. “While I earned 2300 € per month at the RATP (bonuses included), I now receive around 1900 euros“he reports, explaining that this sum includes his RATP years, his Sacem contributions (Society of authors, composers and music publishers) and those of concerts. “If we add the fees for the concerts that we continue to give, today, I receive around 3000 euros per month..” A sum close to what a mid-career executive earns.
Beyond the amount received at the end of each month, the 60-year-old author, composer and performer is delighted with his new life without an alarm clock in Sète (Occitanie), where he was able to buy an apartment that he will eventually pay off “at the age of 70”.
“In Paris, rents are overpriced. Without the concerts during confinement, I don’t know how I could have paid the rent if I had stayed in the capital”he insists to the Telegram.
“Just because I’m already retired doesn’t mean I don’t have to think about others”
Happy, Didier Wampas nevertheless does not forget to think of those who always toil. He says that after demonstrating against the pension reform on January 19 in Sète, he will be back in the streets on January 31 for the new day of demonstrations against the reform wanted by President Emmanuel Macron.
“When you have an uninteresting and hard job, your only hope is to wait until retirement. And when then you are told that you have to work two or three more years, you say ‘no’“he says. “Just because I’m already retired doesn’t mean I shouldn’t think of others.”
