St. John’s, Antigua: President of the Antigua & Barbuda Trade Union Congress (ABTUC), Kim Burdon, said that a meeting held Monday night picked up steam in its anti-allowance and benefits tax campaign. The umbrella organisation, which is an amalgamation of nine unions, garnered support from the Pharmaceutical Association, the Contractors Association, the Plumbers Association as well as the Antigua & Barbuda Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU) and the Antigua & Barbuda Free Trade Union (ABFTU).
The Observer reported that Burdon has reiterated in recent weeks that moves by the Government to begin taxing benefits and allowances as stipulated in the Personal Income Tax Act 2005 would have an adverse effect on employees and the economy.
The TUC had previously threatened widespread industrial action if the plan is not rescinded. Officials in the Ministry of Finance have been mostly silent on the issue. Project Manager of Revenue Reform, Everett Christian, has repeatedly told the Observer, he will not comment since the matter is still under review.
The draft document upon which the talks are premised indicates, among other things, that accommodations, child care expenses, commissions, legal fees, loan forgiveness, transportation, telephone allowances, tuition fees, pension plans and thrift fund contributions will become taxable.
The organisations that fall under the TUC umbrella are Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union; Antigua & Barbuda Union of Teachers; Antigua & Barbuda Meteorological Officers Association; Antigua & Barbuda Public Service Commission; Antigua Hotel Management Association; Antigua & Barbuda Nurses Association; Guild of Antigua & Barbuda Air Traffic Controllers; Leeward Islands Aeronautical Engineers Association; and Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association.
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