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UNI Global Union adds its voice to the worldwide outcry at the extent of top level tax evasion and calls for those found guilty to be prosecuted

UNI Global Union says at a time when workers are struggling to make ends meet and record unemployment, the Panama Papers are further proof that some members of the 1% club are cynically evading taxes in record proportions.

UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings said, “Hats off to the Panama Papers journalists who have dug deep and found this dirt on the rich and famous. Those who are guilty should feel ashamed of themselves because they are creaming off tax money they neither need nor deserve while depriving countries of much needed funds for healthcare, education and money that could be used to kick start stagnant economies. The tax evaders are stealing the food out of our children’s mouths, helping to deny them proper education, healthcare or jobs. National governments and institutions such as the EU should take a long hard look at themselves too, they have allowed the tax-evasion culture to grow and fester.”

“It is shameful that it has been left to journalists to identify these fraudsters, while the EU and national governments have been incapable of taking effective action to stop them” said Veronica Nilsson, ETUC Deputy General Secretary. “While the rich and powerful are fiddling the system, ordinary people are paying the price of austerity, rising costs and stagnant wages. The ETUC calls for tax justice and effective reforms to end evasion as a top priority.

“If there is one so-called structural reform that the European Commission should be pushing in order to achieve both healthy public finances and investment it is tax justice.”

Over 11 million leaked files from the database of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca show that some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people, including political leaders, sports stars and celebrities, are evading tax and hiding their money in dubious offshore funds. Some of these funds finance companies involved in money laundering, illegal arms-deals and drug trafficking.