Unfair Universal Social Charge (USC)
Friday 2 December 2011This unfair charge has targeted lower to middle income workers who are least able to afford to pay and who are suffering most from other austerity measures imposed by Government to satisfy the Troika bailout deal.
All workers earning more than €77 euro per week (€4,004 per year) are liable to pay a USC of 2% on all income up to €193 per week and 4% USC on income over €193 up to €306 per week.
Mandate Trade Union has called for the abolition of the USC for all workers on income of less than €16,016 per year or €308 per week.
Mandate said that while higher paid workers are allowed tax breaks totalling over €800 million per year in private pension contributions, lower to middle income workers, many of whom can’t afford private pension schemes are being penalised by this mean and unfair USC. The Fine Gael / Labour Coalition Government in its 6 December 2011 Budget should right this wrong and give lower paid workers a break at this most difficult time.
