USO demands to correct electricity taxes, a "basic supply"

April 12 () –

The Workers' Union Union (USO) has asked the Government to correct electricity taxes, pointing out that it has been taxed as a “consumer product” instead of a “basic supply”, after the publication of the March CPI, which has risen to 3.2% in its interannual rate, four tenths more than in February, as reported by USO this Friday in a statement.

The general secretary of USO, Joaquín Pérez, has indicated that the greatest weight in the increase has corresponded to electricity, expressing his “complete disagreement” in its categorization as a “consumer product”, since paying the electricity bill “does not It's a luxury.”

Specifically, Pérez has requested “corrective measures” for prices and income. Thus, regarding prices, he proposes the control of basic products with an in-depth tax reform, monitoring and sanctions.

Regarding income, USO asks to recover purchasing power, with collective bargaining that “is not conditioned” by the Employment and Collective Bargaining Agreement, since it considers that with these measures salaries “would continue to lose purchasing power.”

Along these lines, the union has explained that the increases agreed by agreement represent an increase in salaries for this year of 2.91%, and has expressed its concern that the salaries of 8 million people governed by an agreement lose purchasing power, while others, “underneath other agreements,” may see their salaries “more devalued.”

Regarding food, Pérez added that since 2021 it has become more expensive by 28.4%, and that above this average there are products “as basic” as oil, milk, eggs or cereals.

In this sense, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition warned a few weeks ago that living in a house with low income is one of the greatest risks for children's health, impacting the increase in obesity and its consequences, as recalled. USE.

Finally, Pérez has warned that supermarket chains “continue to boast about obscene increases” in profits. “We do not know where or with whom the tax cuts went,” the union lamented.