19 November, 2014On 17 November, IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Hungarian Metalworkers’ Federation (VASAS), staged a protest in Budapest in front of the Parliament to prevent a new austerity drive.
At least one thousand workers came to the streets and raised their voice against the government’s plan to increase taxes on fringe benefits from 35.7 per cent up to 51.17 per cent, while at the same time lowering the maximum possible annual amount of this allowance paid by the employers.
The government did not consult their social partners about suggested amendments in advance, and workers' representatives only learned about the planned rise through the mass media. The planned tax increase would affect in a very negative way many households as fringe benefits are a very important and essential part of income for many Hungarian families.
Other IndustriALL affiliates, including the Federation of Building Material Workers’ Unions, the Federation of the Chemical, Energy and General Workers’ Union, and the Mining and Energy Workers’ Union - BDSZ-Mining, joined the protest.
According to VASAS, while the protest was still going on, the leader of the parliamentary group of the ruling party Fidesz announced that they would not support the government’s plan.
Although it happened on the same day, the union action was not directly linked to the “Public Outrage Day” in Budapest involving more than 10,000 people who gathered in front of the Hungarian Parliament demanding the dismissal of the head of the tax authority accused of corruption, and a higher level of accountability of the Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government.