Sir, - It is nothing short of extraordinary, that 16 years after 700,000 PAYE workers took to the streets behind trade union banners in every town in Ireland in a political strike to demand tax reform that more workers are paying the higher rate of tax today, notwithstanding the politicians' promises of "tax reform" and a solemn undertaking by the Taoiseach of the day to "narrow the gap" between PAYE workers and the self employed. It is nine years since unionised workers voluntarily conceded to moderate wage increases to help the economy and in social solidarity with the unemployed.
Tax reform has been abandoned by the political parties from the left to the right in Dail Eireann in favour of plundering the wage packet of those in work. The Dail has become a "closed shop" as each political party has a turn of holding power to the exclusion of those in work. Workers, who through their organisation escape the so called poverty trap are taxed at the rate of 48p in the pound plus PRSI.
Thanks to the workers' moderation, growth rates in our economy are 7 per cent; investment is up by 11 per cent; exports are up to 13 per cent and the PAYE sector will pay more in 1996 than in 1995.
There are more unemployed in 1996 than there were in 1986 and the only solutions put forward after to years of pay moderation and unprecedented growth is, that those employers who pay low pay will be subsidised (rewarded) by money taken from the PAYE sector to make low paid work attractive to those unfortunate be unemployed in a so called "booming economy".
The only political revolution in Ireland is the revolving power games in Dail Eireann that gives all the political parties the chance to be Ministers, Junior Ministers, Chairperson for this and that and perks and mercs.
Irrespective, of which way that the ordinary electorate votes, if you are a PAYE worker it is more of the same. Irrespective of how well our economy performs it is bad news for the PAYE worker and even more depressing, it would appear that irrespective of social solidarity that is the dole for the unemployed or the alternative cosmetic work schemes with the ultimate reward of a real job at an unreal wage.
Shame on you, shame on you again. - Yours, etc
Straffan,
Co Kildare.