Why are anarchists targeting HSBC?

Generali

N1AK wrote: »

Protesting may put me at risk (fortunately not an issue in the UK at this moment).

There is a small trade union that has started up at BA, opposed to the long ongoing strike. They refuse to identify shop stewards as they claim that members of UNISON, the main union for BA trolly dollies, have been damaging property and sending threatening mail to their members and their members' families.

blueboy43

Generali wrote: »

There is a small trade union that has started up at BA, opposed to the long ongoing strike. They refuse to identify shop stewards as they claim that members of UNISON, the main union for BA trolly dollies, have been damaging property and sending threatening mail to their members and their members' families.

Do you have a link ?

Its just that the main unions for cabin crew are BASSA (which is a branch of Unite) and other part of Unite union.

BASSA is seen as more militant than the mainstream Unite union

UNISON is public sector.

Generali

blueboy43 wrote: »

Do you have a link ?

Its just that the main unions for cabin crew are BASSA (which is a branch of Unite) and other part of Unite union.

BASSA is seen as more militant than the mainstream Unite union

UNISON is public sector.

I might mean Unite. I was listening to Radio 5 prior to the cricket starting and it was on there.

grimsalve

N1AK wrote: »

I also think that the vast majority of people doing it at the moment have that motivation. My point is "easy cases make bad laws". At the moment, I may protest with my face obscured, if you remove my ability to do so, of course you are restricting my freedom (as I haven't mentioned 'rights' I'm not sure why you refer to them).

I might wish to protest anonymously because:

1. I'm government employed and concerned it could hurt my career.
2. I'm campaigning against something my employer is involved with, thus risking hurting my career.
3. I do not wish for my support to be public knowledge.
4. Protesting may put me at risk (fortunately not an issue in the UK at this moment).

But all the content from cctv cameras and police surveillance aren't for public viewing, the vast majority of the people on the peaceful protest weren't on shown on publicly accessible media so I don't see what the problem is. Plus if you're protesting about something you believe in strongly enough then maybe you need to take that risk?

N1AK wrote: »

Sometimes you have to accept that the cost of maintaining freedoms, is that some people will misuse them.

so by that logic we should all have the freedom to carry guns and knives too?

[Deleted User]

FTBFun wrote: »

This point annoys me - it fails to take into account all the other taxes that are paid. In particular employer's NIC which at an uncapped rate of 12.8% is rather substantial.

The point is that other businesses especially those worst hit by the banks and their incompetence pay all those other taxes AND the full amount of corporation tax.

With regards to employment tax they have been know to pay people in things other than sterling to help them avoid paying their fair share of tax. Even their employees that are paying their full NICs are not paying any more than anyone else.

[Deleted User]

Generali wrote: »

1% of what?

Corporation tax - it's a tax on the profits a company makes.

FTBFun

[quote=[Deleted User];42398816]The point is that other businesses especially those worst hit by the banks and their incompetence pay all those other taxes AND the full amount of corporation tax.[/quote]

Are you sure about that - even those that have carried forward losses?

With regards to employment tax they have been know to pay people in things other than sterling to help them avoid paying their fair share of tax.

Utter rubbish - this does not work at has not for some time. Platinum sponge, fine wines, persian rugs - none of this works. There was some arrangement using Employer Benefit Trusts but HMRC have closed that loophole in recent years.

Even their employees that are paying their full NICs are not paying any more than anyone else.

Err, and? They're not paying any less.

ILW

The employer pays an additional 12.8% NI on top of what the employee contributes.

[Deleted User]

ILW wrote: »

The employer pays an additional 12.8% NI on top of what the employee contributes.

I know I'm an employer. That doesn't change their position relative to any other business though.

[Deleted User]

FTBFun wrote: »

Are you sure about that - even those that have carried forward losses?

Yes. Barclays is one example (first to pop up in search engine) aided by their use of offshore subsidiaries in tax havens. Before anyone says it no they were not bailed out directly but the whole banking system owes it's survival to the bail outs by governments around the world.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/18/barclays-bank-113m-corporation-tax

FTBFun wrote: »

Utter rubbish - this does not work at has not for some time. Platinum sponge, fine wines, persian rugs - none of this works. There was some arrangement using Employer Benefit Trusts but HMRC have closed that loophole in recent years.

The banks were well know for this and other tax dodges. My point was made in response to those who were claiming that the banks and there staff are as good as any other buiness regardig hte paying of their taxes. It is an example of how much further they are prepared to go than most other companies regardless of size. The fact that this is no longer an option does not negate this point. They didn't stop doing it voluntarily.

FTBFun wrote: »

Err, and?

Lol, what's next? 'end of'? or some other highbrow comment?

They're not paying any less.

Your point was that by looking at corporation tax other tax payments were being ignored. Apparently this annoyed you. The fact that they pay so much less corporation tax results in them paying much less as a proportion in tax overall.

Combine this with the damage they have caused to the whole economy and employment and it is hard to see them as being of great value to the country when compared to other industries.