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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.

Tax justice, trade and right to strike top PSI agenda

24 June 2014

PSI's annual Executive Board meeting featured a series of guest speakers and intense discussion on tax justice, free trade issues and the right to strike.

Audio: A RadioLabour interview with Rosa Pavanelli on World Public Services Day

23 June 2014

Monday June 23: World Public Services Day. All around the world governments are attacking public services and the workers who help supply them. As well, a number of international trade agreements are jeopardizing the right of governments to provide public services instead of corporations.

World Public Services Day, 23 June 2014

20 June 2014

On the occasion of World Public Services Day, Public Services International and its affiliates are working together across borders to end tax havens, tax avoidance and corruption, and to bring in progressive tax systems that are properly resourced and enforced. Tax justice enables public spending for the common good, and provides the means for economic self-sufficiency for municipal, regional and national governments.

With tax justice, we can end poverty and inequality

19 June 2014
PSI Korean affiliates KGEU at a protest rally in 2013

World Public Services Day - 23 June 2014

From the south to the north, Public Services International affiliate unions are working together across borders to end tax havens, tax avoidance and corruption, and to bring in progressive tax systems that are properly resourced and enforced. Tax justice enables public spending for the common good, and provides the means for economic self-sufficiency for municipal, regional and national governments.

PSI Tax Justice & Anti-Corruption Forum

23 May 2014

More than 100 members of affiliate unions of Public Services International (PSI) came together from across the Americas for a Tax Justice and Anti-Corruption Forum in Buenos Aires, Argentina in late April 2014.

The Five Best-Kept Secrets of Economics

21 May 2014
Dave Hall - PSIRU

An interview with David Hall (PSIRU) author of a major evidence-based report updated and launched on 20 May 2014 at the 9th EPSU Congress.
The report was initially published in 2010. EPSU and PSI have come together to produce this revised and updated 2014 version which we believe will provide our affiliates across the world with valuable facts, figures and arguments to defend public spending and public services and public service workers.

Why we need public spending (updated)

21 May 2014
Why we need public spending - cover page

In May 2014, a revised version of the PSIRU study "Why we need public spending" was released as a joint publication of PSI and EPSU. This report is authored and updated by David Hall of the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). This study provides valuable facts, figures and arguments to defend public spending and public services and public service workers.

Robin Hood Tax arrives for the common good in Europe

15 May 2014

Public Services International welcomes the landmark news that 10 EU countries have agreed to introduce a financial transactions tax (FTT), also known as a Robin Hood Tax. PSI and our affiliates are proud to be working with civil society allies at the forefront of the global movement for tax justice, which includes campaigning for the FTT to end poverty and inequality by funding quality public services.

Working for the many - public services fight inequality

07 April 2014

The UK-based NGO Oxfam has published a 26-page booklet "Working for the many," that calls on governments to urgently reform tax systems and increase public spending on free public services, such as health and education, to tackle inequality and prevent us being tipped irrevocably into a world that works for the few, not the many.

French Presidency responds to PSI call for FTT

04 April 2014
French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Following the publication of PSI's open letter to French President François Holland and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, PSI has received the following response from the French President's office:

Africa rising?

03 March 2014
Africa Rising?

Inequalities and the essential role of fair taxation

This new report investigates income inequality in eight sub-Saharan African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.)

Video: Why we need a tax justice campaign in Ghana

21 February 2014

Watch this inspiring two minute video interview about the need for a tax justice campaign in Ghana, with Bernard Adjei, Deputy General Secretary, Public Service Workers Union (PSWU TUC).

PSI unions: We need tax justice to end inequality

21 February 2014
PSI affiliates plan tax justice campaign in Ghana: Reynolds Ofosu Tenkorang, Deputy General Secretary, Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU), Emilia Codjoe, Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA), Bernard Adjei, Deputy General Secretary, Public Service Workers Union (PSWU).

Public Services International was invited to participate in the Global Fiscal Justice Forum co-sponsored by Tax Justice Network-Africa, Make Tax Fair, International Tax Compact, and OXFAM, 4-8 Feb 2014 in Accra, Ghana.

PSI Ghana affiliate union leaders attended the discussions representing the Public Services Workers' Union of TUC (PSWU), Health Services Workers' Union of TUC (HSWU), and Ghana Registered Nurses' Association (GRNA).

On behalf of PSI and the Council of Global Unions’ Quality Public Services campaign, PSI’s communications coordinator Teresa Marshall was a guest speaker on global campaign planning and collaboration opportunities.

PSI calls for an FTT: RadioLabour interview with PSI General Secretary

20 February 2014
Rosa Pavanelli FTT

PSI is calling for the implementation of a Financial Transactions Tax (FTT). PSI's General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, describes the FTT and how it would apply in Europe in an interview on RadioLabour.

PSI calls on EU leaders to implement broad-based financial transactions tax

13 February 2014
Robin hood FTT

In an open letter to French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, PSI calls on EU leaders to implement a broad-based financial transactions tax (Robin Hood Tax) in order to fund vital public services and decent jobs necessary to end poverty and inequality, support sustainable development and address climate change.