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New tax bill: Unions threaten indefinite strike
View(s):Inland Revenue Department (IRD) trade unions will meet tomorrow to decide on an indefinite strike action over the Government’s move to revise revenue collection and introduce a new tax bill.
IRD trade unions’ joint committee convener H.A.L. Udayasiri said the decision was taken as there was no Government response to last week’s token strike on the issue.He said the proposed tax bill had been introduced without consultations with the unions though they had appealed to the President, the Prime Minister and the Finance Ministry. The unions believes the tax bill will have serious implications on tax collection and employees.
He said the proposed bill would affect the independence of the department and give powers to the Finance Minister to obtain confidential information on taxpayers. “Though the recruitment to the department is carried out under the Service Minute of the IRD, in terms of the new bill, the Finance Ministry will be given powers to carry out recruitment thereby politicising the department,” he said.
Mr. Udayasiri said the bill would also curtail the powers of the Commissioner General and senior officers, undermining the independence of the department. He said the unions were also planning to challenge the bill in courts.