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Public Funding/Tax Justice

The gap between the rich and the rest of us is growing rapidly. In many countries, the richest 1% pay less tax than everyone else. Profitable multinational corporations use loopholes and tax havens to avoid paying their share. Around the world, inequality is growing. A taxation system based on fairness and ability to pay is the first step in reversing this attack on the middle class.

UK: Health money goes to tax havens

04 September 2012
hospital entrance

Several British hospitals have to lay off staff to help pay their private finance initiative fees – and the money goes straight to tax havens.

Sweden: Crisis package rescued 8,500 municipal jobs

03 September 2012
Road workers

When the financial crisis hit, the Swedish government provided temporary grants to the municipal sector. Calculations now show that the money saved 8,500 jobs.

Robin Hood Campaign to join AIDS mobilization

22 July 2012

Public Services International – advocating for fair taxation to fund public services such as health care – will be represented as part of our Quality Public Services—Action Now! campaign along with other Robin Hood Tax supporters in a high profile AIDS mobilisation in Washington DC, Tuesday 23 July.

Tags: 
Health
Public Funding/Taxation
Quality public services
HIV/AIDS

Rio+20 Working for a sustainable world

16 July 2012
Four people with Robin Hood Tax hats and posters

Download the report (PDF, 1 MB)

See more photos on flickr

Watch the video

Public Services International engaged in a number of activities at Rio:

A Financial Transactions Tax for the future we want

09 July 2012
Robin Hood Tax logo

Rio de Janeiro – 22 June 2012:

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as RIO+20, has taken place at a critical moment. The G20, meeting almost simultaneously, has not shown enough collective will by the world’s major economies to resolve the economic and financial turmoil we face. Member states of the European Union are facing a crucial test of their leadership in overcoming the financial and debt crisis. They are being called to choose whether or not to adopt a FTT for human and sustainable development. A positive answer could lead to a fairer and more sustainable future for the EU and contribute to sustainable human development worldwide.

Interview with Peter Waldorff on the European finance crisis' influence on trade unions and on the public sector

03 July 2012
Peter Waldorff

PSI General Secretary Peter Waldorff gives an interview on the European finance crisis' influence on trade unions and on the public sector.

Rio +20: Unions raising their voices for decent green jobs

21 June 2012

An international delegation of 15 PSI delegates joined Brazilian affiliate members at the Trade Union Assembly in Rio - raising their voices for decent green jobs supported in part by the implementation of a financial transactions tax.

Tags: 
Energy
Environment
Global unions
Public Funding/Taxation
Climate change

Robin Hood comes to town

18 June 2012
A couple holding Robin Hood Tax posters and wearing Robin Hood caps

National Nurses United is kicking off an America-wide campaign to tax Wall Street, with the first stop at JPMorgan Chase, the latest national symbol of the Wall Street excess that has harmed so many communities and families.

A Robin Hood Tax for a sustainable world

15 June 2012
Robin Hood tax logo

Uma Taxa Robin Hood por um mundo sustentável

 

Public Services International is co-hosting this event in Rio on Tuesday, 19th June 2012.

Tuesday 19 June / Terça-feira 19 de Junho / Martes 19 de Junio

9h30-11h30 Workshop! Oficina! Taller!
People’s Summit / Cúpula dos Povos  
Sindicato do Bancarios
Avenida Presidente Vargas 502
21st Andar/Floor Auditorio, Centro Rio de Janeiro

Russia and the World Trade Organization

31 May 2012

On 31 May 2012, an international conference “What Will Happen to Russia in the WTO: International Experience” is to be held in Moscow at 11h00-17h00pm (Moscow time), with live internet-coverage on www.wto-inform.ru, bringing together experts from China, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Greece, Canada and other countries, as well as speakers from Russia.

Unions' view on the financial crisis

21 May 2012
Banner

The bankers got us into the financial crisis. But how do we analyze the crisis from a labour point of view? This week, RadioLabour will try to give unionists the answers.

Thousands of nurses to march at G8 summit in Chicago, 18 May

07 May 2012
Nurses demonstrating at the G20 meeting in Cannes, France

Nurses from across the U.S., joined by healthcare, labor and other community activists, as well as activists from G-8 nations, will hold a large march and rally Friday, May 18 to greet the G-8 summit of world leaders in Chicago.

Global unions hold silent protests. ADB’s inaction to pro-worker calls

04 May 2012
GUFs protest at the AGM of ADB

Members of the Global Union Federations (GUFs) led a silent protest Friday at the opening of the Governors’ Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) against the financial institution’s continued inaction to their calls to protect and promote workers’ rights in all its projects.

Public Services International and the Rio+20 Summit

12 April 2012
Logo for people's summit at rio+20

The Rio+20 Summit comes amidst the climate, food and economic crises we have been experiencing in recent years.

The crisis of capitalism is forcing corporations to seek new sources of profit, and to ensure that they don't lose the ones they already have. Their lobby has been preparing for the Rio +20 summit, defining the concept of Green Economy to serve corporate purposes. It is being used as a clever cover to justify the commodification and financialisation of natural resources, which are key ingredients for their profits.

Tags: 
Energy
Human rights
Privatisation
Public Funding/Taxation
Water and sanitation
Climate change

Spain: unions call for general strike over labour laws

23 March 2012
UGT and CC.OO banners

Spain's two main unions, both PSI affiliates, have called for a general strike on 29 March to protest against changes to labour laws and in defence of public services ahead of the presentation of the 2012 budget and its accompanying austerity measures.