Received from: Unite
Merged into composite C07
Conference knows that workers and their families can see every day that the economy is broken. Real wages are now lower than in 1997. After 15 years of austerity, our public services are collapsing.
The deepening crisis in public services across the UK, from the NHS to local government, education, transport and social care. The 7.4 million people on hospital waiting lists, to the dozens of local councils facing bankruptcy. Years of underinvestment and austerity have left vital services overstretched, understaffed and unable to meet the needs of our communities.
Congress notes that we are the sixth richest economy in the world but the way that wealth is divided is increasingly unequal.
The UK is home to a record number of billionaires, and the top one per cent hold more wealth than the entire bottom 50 per cent. In 1990, there were just 15 billionaires in the UK, but since then their number has jumped to 156. Yet wealth is taxed at far lower rates than income, and in many cases not taxed at all.
The wealth of the richest in society continues to soar. The richest 50 families are worth about £500bn, the same as half the entire UK population.
So, there is a choice. If we taxed the richest one percent just one percent, that would generate about £25bn. That is a choice. We need a wealth tax now.
This is a political choice. Ordinary workers are paying more through income tax, council tax, and VAT, while the super-rich hoard wealth and benefit from outdated, unfair tax rules.
We call on the TUC to:
i. campaign for the urgent introduction of a progressive wealth tax
ii. oppose austerity and promote tax justice as a means to fund public services
iii. press the Labour government to commit to taxing wealth, not just work.
Unite
AMENDMENT
Add new bullet after bullet iii.:
“iv. call on the Labour government to remove the punitive welfare policies introduced during Tory austerity, including the two-child benefit cap and for the government to commit to protecting benefits for disabled and vulnerable people.”
Communication Workers Union
AMENDMENT
After paragraph 2, add:
“Congress is appalled by the recent findings of the Public Accounts Committee that HMRC does not know how many billionaires pay tax in the UK or how much they contribute overall.”
Fire Brigades Union