Tackling tax avoidance is something that I’ve always been passionate about.
Avoiding tax is morally wrong, and pulls vital funds away from public services under pressure – not just at home but around the world. I’ve spoken out before on the global failure to tackle tax avoidance – especially from multinationals – and as a public service union, this is an issue that UNISON take incredibly seriously.
Because the less tax that’s collected means that there’s less to spend on already stretched public services, and for the salaries of those who provide them – all whilst the very wealthiest rely on the rest of us to pick up the tab for those same services.
That’s why I’m glad that Public Services International (PSI) – of which I am President – is giving such prominence to the fight against tax avoidance at their executive board in Geneva this week.
PSI is a global leader in the fight for tax justice because like UNISON, public sector unions around the world are amongst the hardest hit by the greed and venality of tax avoiders. Only by working together with friends around the world can we hope to solve this inherently global issue.
So whether it’s through global tax summits or showing how companies like McDonald’s dodge making the contributions they owe, PSI and UNISON will continue to fight for a fair deal for public sector workers by fighting for a fair global tax system.
This will not be a quick or easy struggle – but right now there are few battles that matter more.