The head of SIPTU has urged the Government to forget about cutting taxes in order to prioritise public spending on housing, healthcare and education.
Addressing his final biennial delegate conference as president of the union, Jack O'Connor also called for a referendum to provide for collective bargaining as a right for every worker in the country.
Mr O'Connor told delegates at the conference in Cork that Ireland was the third most unequal country in Europe, measured by market income.
He said 22% of Irish workers fall into the category of low paid.
He said wealthier people will have to contribute more towards decent public services, while sectoral concessions such as the 9% flat rate applied to tourism businesses would have to end.
Mr O'Connor said 2,500 local authority houses could be built for the €500m which the reduced VAT rate for tourism costs the Exchequer.
The SIPTU President also called for a new alliance to be forged among what he described as "genuinely progressive forces" to achieve better public services.
