Bringing workers together to fight for tax justice
Network of Unions for Tax Justice
Network of Unions for Tax Justice
2024 Trade Union Tax Forum: Building labour power to stop corporate tax theft
Public Services International (PSI), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the global Network of Unions for Tax Justice (NUTJ), the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) look forward to welcoming trade union leaders and senior officials in Ottawa, Canada, from 10-12 December.
This event is exclusively for trade union attendance (upon invitation only), with one session facilitating discussion with civil society and intergovernmental organisations.
Please request to attend the Forum through this link.
Welcome to the event's main information page which will be updated with the latest details for the agenda, speakers and logistics.
Click the arrows below to learn more about this year's Trade Union Tax Forum.
The focus of the event will be two-fold. First, it will discuss and propose reforms to Canadian tax policy to ensure large corporations and wealthy individuals pay their fair share of taxes, improving the fairness and progressivity of Canada’s taxation system. Second, it will place these domestic policy demands in the context of the international movement for fair tax reform to regulate tax havens, end tax avoidance and abuse internationally, and ensure the fair and effective taxation of global corporations.
Fair tax reform is a long-standing and fundamental commitment of the labour movement in Canada and around the world. Decades of tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy have led to a regressive and unjust tax system, weakening economic performance and our social safety net. In order to rebuild our public services to meet the challenge of climate change, an ageing workforce, and dramatic technological change, we must ensure that corporations and the rich contribute to social and economic development.
The Ottawa forum on tax justice is the latest in a series of international trade union gatherings dedicated to fair tax reform. The 2022 and 2023 trade union tax forums were instrumental in strengthening labour strategy and basis for action. Trade unions have increased their coordination capacity and engagement in public campaigns. The NUTJ now gathers nearly 50 trade unions across 4 continents and covering private and public sectors.
The 2024 trade union tax forum will be the occasion to take stock of progress, to adjust labour strategy to new challenges and to make plans for 2025.
Agenda & Speakers
Welcome event – Tuesday, 10 December 2024 – 7-9 p.m.
Where is Canada in the international struggle for tax justice? Interventions:
Screening of the documentary film Tax Wars Location: University of Ottawa, Desmarais Building/Telfer School, Room DMS 12102 55 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa ON K1N 6N5 |
Day 1 – Wednesday, 11 December
09:00 | Registrations |
09:30 – 10:00 | Welcome and opening remarks
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10:00 – 10:30 | Keynote speech: Why tax is a class struggle issue
Speaker: Mercy Nabwire, National Treasurer, Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) |
10:30 - 10:45 | Coffee break |
10:45 – 12:30 | Item 1. Tax wars – the fight to tax digital Roundtable with Global North representatives from Canada, the U.S., the Global South and the OECD Secretariat
Speakers:
Moderated by: Séverine Picard, Progressive Policies Stay tuned for more confirmed speakers |
12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch |
13:30 – 15:00 | Item 2. What room for fair tax reform in Canada Discussion with high level experts on capital gains, wealth taxation and corporate income tax
Speakers:
Stay tuned for more confirmed speakers
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15:00 – 15:30 | Break |
15:30 – 17:30 | Item 3. Behind closed doors – what is really being negotiated in multilateral forums? Panel with OECD, UN, G20 and EU insiders on the major multilateral tax discussions
Speakers:
Moderated by: Séverine Picard, Progressive Policies Stay tuned for more confirmed speakers |
Dinner |
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Day 2 – Thursay, 12 December
09:30 – 11:00 | Item 4. Exchange of views with civil society on priorities and areas of shared action for 2025
This session will be open to civil society
Speakers:
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11:00 – 12:30 | Item 5. Taxing multinationals - how do we coordinate national and international actions to win effective change quickly? Trade union panel with comrades from Caribbeans, Latin America, US and Europe
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12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch |
13:30 – 16:30 | Item 6. What’s next for trade union action? Strategic and policy discussion Working session
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16:30 – 17:00 | Wrap up |
Logistics
Venue: Canadian Labour Congress National Office (website)
Address: 2841 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1V 8X7 (Google Maps)
Languages: Interpretation will be provided in English, Spanish and French
Format: Hybrid event (in-person and online)
Visas: Here you will find the Canadian visa requirements. If you need a visa, please contact Forum organisers for a formal invitation letter.
Registrations: Please request to attend the Forum through this link. Due to capacity limitations, the organisers will confirm registrations via e-mail. Virtual attendees will be automatically registered and will receive connection details.
Accomodation
The Forum organisers have secured discounted rates with the Arc The Hotel in Ottawa.
The following link should be used to make a booking use the preferential rate.
Participants can book up to 4 nights with a discounted rate, from 10-14 December. Participants needing additional nights should contact the organisers for further options.
Please note, the preferential rate expires on 10 November 2024.