CUT says unions should not admit opposition to union tax

In a note addressed to affiliated entities, the National Executive of the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) said that unions should not admit “under any circumstances” workers’ opposition to the collection of union dues after a decision taken at an assembly.

After a decision by the Federal Supreme Court (STF), the tax returned under the euphemism of “welfare or business contribution”.

To guarantee a favorable result for tax collection, CUT advises that meetings only be held through prior negotiation.

“Under no circumstances should the submission of opposition to the negotiation/assistance contribution discount, resulting from collective negotiation, directly to the company be allowed, characterizing, in this case, an abusive and anti-union practice”, says an excerpt from the note published this Wednesday- fair (11).

Elsewhere, the CUT says that any objections must be examined “from the concrete framework in which the collective negotiation process took place”, but condemns the “encouragement to deliver individual letters of opposition”.

According to union members, any encouragement or advice provided to workers who want to cancel the discount will be interpreted as an “abusive and anti-union practice”.

In September, the STF declared the application of the fee to all workers constitutional. However, in the ruling, the parameters for the charge were not defined, which include everything from the expiration date of the new rule to the percentages and criteria for workers’ right to oppose payment.

In this week’s note, the CUT warned unions not to “practice abusive charges that deviate from the standards of reasonableness and proportionality”, but defended the autonomy and self-regulation of unions.