UNION AGREED TO LEAD CAMPAIGN AGAINST TAX-FREE AWARDS

                                                        A symbol of Unionism. Photo credit: Nevada News and Views.

The Solomon Islands Council of Trade Unions (SICTU) has unanimously adopted a resolution to lead a public campaign against the tax-free awards given to Members of Parliament after last week’s Court decision.

This was agreed after the SICTU Executive held an extraordinary meeting this week.

President of SICTU and the Workers Union of Solomon Islands, David Tuhanuku says the exemption of tax for MPs is totally unfair to the working class people of this country.

“It’s totally unfair, it’s immoral and it’s a sheer injustice and it doesn’t look at the fact that the majority of the working people of Solomon Islanders who have small wages and who struggle to survive with their families every day with their small wages, they have to pay tax too. And this is totally unfair for them. And because of this the Council of Trade Union has adopted a resolution that we are going to campaign against the idea that members of Parliament should get tax-free wages.”

SICTU includes the country’s three largest trade Unions, the Solomon Islands National Teachers Association, the Solomon Islands Public Employees Union and the Workers Union of Solomon Islands.