Mandate Trade Union calls for Withdrawal of Household Charge and introduction of fair Property Tax
Thursday 8 March 2012The Mandate Trade Union has called on the Government to withdraw the €100 Household Charge on the basis that it is unfair and regressive. However, the union’s National Executive Committee has said it will support the Government in introducing a fair and progressive property tax.
Mandate Trade Union – one of Ireland’s largest unions – represents over 45,000 workers in the retail and bar trades.
John Douglas, Mandate General Secretary, said that a fair property tax is needed. “One of the causes of the country’s current economic difficulties was the frittering away of the tax base under successive Governments and our over-reliance on transaction taxes like Stamp Duty. In order to rectify this situation we need to put a proper tax system in place and a property tax needs to be part of that – however, one that is fair and progressive.”
Mr Douglas said that Mandate believes that it is important that the principle of introducing a property tax is not brought into disrepute by this unfair charge and this is one of the reasons why Mandate’s National Executive Committee is calling on the Government to withdraw it now.
“The Household Charge is unfair and regressive because it levies every household – whether they have an income of €10,000 or €1,000,000 – the same amount of money, €100. This is simply not right! People on low and middle incomes have been hit hard over recent times by a range of different charges, including the recent 2% increase in VAT, and the Household Charge represents the last straw for many,” John Douglas concluded.
