Introduction

I have pointed out that the major Canadian unions use cliches like “fair contracts.”  In particular, I have pointed out in another post (Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Four: The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) (The Second Largest Union in Canada)) that the National Union of Public and General Employees union (NUPGE) has used such social-reformist or social-democratic cliches.  In this post, I will show that NUPGE uses another social-reformist or social-democratic cliche: corporations should pay their “fair share of taxes.”

Let us look at this phrase for a moment. For corporations to pay their “fair share of taxes,” it is necessary that corporations in some way express something fair. If, for example, corporations were based on slave labour, would unions and social democrats call for the corporations paying their “fair share of taxes?” Or would they call for the abolition of such corporations since slave labour as such is unfair–no matter what the proportion of taxes corporations paid?

To call for corporations to pay their fair share of taxes assumes, without question, the legitimacy of corporations and the profit they receive. However, the profit corporations obtain is a result of the exploitation and oppression of workers (see for example The Money Circuit of Capital or  Employers as Dictators, Part One). To talk about corporations paying their fair share of taxes involves implicitly accepting and legitimating such exploitation and oppression.

Hardly any of the so-called left question the use of such phrases by these unions.

I have compiled some quotes from publications or notices of NUPGE, the second largest union in Canada.  For the most part, emphases (bold) are mine.

Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes: Another Cliche or Abstract Slogan of the Social-Reformist or Social-Democratic Left

1. From April 3, 2024 (https://opseu.org/news/autumn-view-edition-2-2024/239103/):

James Clancy (1950-2024): A visionary leader in labour and social justice

April 3, 2024

The All Together Now! campaign epitomized Clancy’s approach to mobilizing NUPGE’s members and workers across the country against inequality and for a more just society.
In the midst of the financial crisis, NUPGE embarked on a campaign against income inequality. The focus was getting people to see what society would look like if only corporations would pay their fair share, forcing a discussion on tax at a time of financial collapse. The campaign’s Fairness Express bus tour was rolled out to communities around the country, changing the way people viewed unions, and inspiring people to fight the growing trend of profit over people.

2. From January 3, 2024 (  https://nupge.ca/2024/nupge-urges-action-on-wealth-disparities/  ):

NUPGE reiterates its call for bold measures to ensure profitable corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, and to address the problem of tax avoidance.

3. From November 23, 2023   (  https://nupge.ca/2023/2023-fall-economic-statement-provides-only-limited-help-for-canadians/  ):

2023 Fall Economic Statement provides only limited help for Canadians

That means that the wealthy individuals and corporations who have become richer than ever during the last few years still aren’t being asked to pay their fair share.

4. From March 23, 2023 (  https://nupge.ca/2023/what-real-tax-fairness-looks-like/  ):

Unlike front-line workers, the wealthy and corporate CEOs aren’t being asked to risk their lives. But we should expect that the federal government will ensure that they pay their fair share in taxes. [As an aside, if front-line workers are asked to risk their lives but not the wealthy and corporate CEOs, why is the legitimacy of their existence not questioned?] 

5. From July 7, 2021 ( https://archives.nupge.ca/content/uber-and-lyft-avoiding-taxes  ):

“Companies like Uber and Lyft shouldn’t be allowed to get a free ride when it comes to paying their fair share of taxes,” said Larry Brown, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE).

6. From May 18, 2021,  ( https://nsgeu.ca/home_page/an-interview-with-nupge-president-larry-brown-covid-19s-impact-on-canada/23868/   ):

An Interview with NUPGE President Larry Brown: Covid 19’s Impact on Canada

In this spirit, NUPGE is lobbying for a “new normal” to emerge out of this pandemic – where people and corporations pay their fair share of taxes and where our provincial governments are given enough targeted federal dollars to maintain strong public services.

7. From All Together Now pamphlet, June 2018  (https://archives.nupge.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Fair-Taxes-Making-Income-Tax-Fairer.pdf):

Backgrounder
Fair Taxes
Tax Avoidance

The other part is making sure that the wealthy and large corporations aren’t able to use loopholes and other dodges to avoid paying their fair share.

…

Offshore tax havens
Offshore tax havens are being used by the wealthiest individuals and corporations to
avoid paying their fair share of taxes.

8. From December 12, 2017   (  https://archives.nupge.ca/content/canada-infrastructure-bank-promoter-involved-tax-havens  ):

Canada Infrastructure Bank promoter involved in tax havens

Those benefitting from tax havens are the wealthy and large corporations. They use tax havens to avoid paying their fair share in taxes where they live or where they operate.

9. From August 2017 ( https://opseu.org/information/tools-and-resources/autumn-view-edition-4-2017/17025/   ): The following is from NUPGE, but it is on the OPSEU website as well:

Moral responsibility starts with fair taxation

…

Fair taxes first step towards moral responsibility
Solving many of the world’s problems — whether it’s cleaning up the environment or ending poverty — requires well-funded public services. Well-funded public services require both corporations and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share of taxes.

No matter how good their intentions, corporations will not pay their fair share in taxes unless they are required to do so.

10. From 2014 All Together Now pamphlet (https://archives.nupge.ca/publications/only-fair-fair-income-inequality-isnt):

But 1% of us—the richest 1%—keeping finding ways toweasel out of that deal. The last thing  theywant to do is pay their fair share.

Conclusion

NUPGE, in addition to using such a social-reformist phrase as “fair contracts” uses the social-reformist or social-democratic phrase and cliche of “corporations paying their fair share of taxes.” Such a phrase implies that if corporations somehow pay their fair share of taxes, then they are legitimate and have a right to continue to exist. Since corporations exist only by exploiting and oppressing workers, however, such legitimation papers over such exploitation and oppression. The radical left should criticize such cliches and the organizations which express them.