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Global union welcomes corporate tax rethink

Responding to widespread anger about corporate tax avoidance, a new non-partisan body — the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT) — has been established.

Geneva (12 March 2015) — Public Services International (PSI) is welcoming the establishment in New York of a commission of international tax experts to examine reform to corporate taxation from the perspective of the public interest. PSI is a global union federation of which the National Union of Public and General Employees is a member. PSI brings together 20 million workers, represented by 669 unions in 154 countries and territories.

There is a need for political will

"The current international corporate tax laws were written in the 1920’s before the ball point pen and the photocopier had been invented — yet 40 years after we put a man on the moon we still can’t tax McDonald's properly for selling us a cheeseburger,” said PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli, referring to the recent report released by public sector unions exposing McDonald's alleged tax avoidance practices in Europe.

“The technical solutions exist — what we lack is the political will” she said from New York.

Commission is a step forward

“This Commission is a big step forward in including the public in a tax debate that affects everyone but has been hijacked by corporate interests and blocked by our politicians,” said Pavanelli.

“Something is very wrong when McDonald's can siphon a billion euros out of European tax coffers while our governments tell us that lack of revenue means we must cut healthcare and pensions.”

The Independent Commission for the Reform of Corporate Taxation (ICRICT), chaired by former UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs José Antonio Ocampo, will meet for the first time next week in New York on 18 March to take expert evidence.

More information:

Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT)

UN Tax Committee

Public Services International

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE