Tax the rich
Posted by John, February 5th, 2013 - under Marxism 2013, Tax the rich.
I am speaking at Marxism 2013 on taxing the rich. I will be talking on Sunday 31 March at 11.30. The Conference is the biggest left wing event of the year, over Easter at Melbourne University. Others speakers among the 70 or more include John Pilger, Gary Foley, Billy X Jennings, Brian Jones, Bob Carnegie, Jeff Sparrow, Antony Loewenstein, Toufic Haddad, and speakers from parties from Indonesia, The Philippines, Pakistan, New Zealand, the US and many many more….Check out the link here.
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Comments
Comment from John
Time February 10, 2013 at 1:12 pm
The working conditions in call centres generally and the pressure on those workers in call centres in the ATO, as Chris points out, cry out for union action to reimpose humanity rather than the dehumanisation that is these centres.
The ATO is under Budget pressure to cut labour costs, deliver quick and fast advice to ordinary workers wantting to comply with their tax arrnagemtns and with big busienss who want to lower their ‘costs.’
Is there an answer? More staff; no targets; better pay; better training; more breaks; etc. All the things unions should be fighting for.
But that is easier said than done. While the leadership of the CPSU is weak and class collaborationist, 30 years of unions rolling over and playing dead for the bosses has cut membership numbers in half, destroyed rank and file organisation and reinforced the do nothing approach.
So it will require workers in the hell holes of call centres and elsewhere to organise the fight against their rotten conditions.
Comment from Chris Slee
Time February 10, 2013 at 10:33 am
Hi John
This is not related to taxation as such, but you may be interested in an account of life in the Tax Office call centre: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53158