If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you are taking the side of oppressor
~ Desmond Tutu
This month, fact-checkers from around the world are doing their usual jobs of spreading accurate, reliable facts to people everywhere. But they’re also working on plans to increase their impact and effectiveness, and they’re doing that by submitting grant applications to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Global Fact Check Fund.
MISSILES AND DRONES AMONG WEAPONS STOLEN FROM U.S. IN IRAQ AND SYRIA Nick Turse, The Intercept
Biometrics May Be Online Retail’s Ticket to More Sales PYMNTS
An Indian official plotted to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in New York, US prosecutors say AP
It’s All Bullshit The Baffler
What we can learn from the ancient art of wayfinding BBC
The World’s Largest Buyer of U.S. Debt Isn’t Going Away WSJ
Marginal Nation: Bestselling Author’s New Novel Warns of Grim Future for Japan Nippon
Why Chanos Failed Russell Clark. The deck: “Is Short Selling A Dead Industry?
GM Plans $10 Billion Stock Buyback in Bid to Assuage Investors WSJ
Now, retaining access to an internal channel, the ASU isn’t exactly falling into line with the CPSU, an important differentiator. Tax is somewhat unique among agencies, able to put pay deals directly to a staff vote because its ASU members are critical to any government’s ability to collect revenue, rather than distribute it.
This gives it a far stronger hand to deal with. The ASU is not shy about calling out the current wage deal as mediocre, giving its members forewent two previous pay increases to preserve conditions against broadly union-hostile Coalition governments.
“I feel the need to make the point that throughout the discussions with the APSC at the ‘Part A’ bargaining table, the CPSU did not once seek an additional pay increase for ATO staff,” branch secretary for ASU Tax Officers Jeff Lapidos said in communications to members via ATO email.
“In contrast, the ASU regularly raised our claim for an additional pay increase for ATO staff to make up for our lost pay increases. The Government, the APSC and the ATO are all well aware that ATO staff want and need a better pay outcome because our cause is right and just. And to be pragmatic about it, the ATO needs higher salaries than the Government is allowing in order to recruit and retain the high quality staff it needs.”
“Unfortunately, the Government has so far failed to see how this is affecting the ATO’s ability to collect the revenue properly payable.”
The ASU has been persistently shaking the tree in Tax’s HR division for evidence that the ATO’s remuneration is a problem in terms of retaining let alone attracting staff. Predators for ATO talent include the Big Four consultancies as well as banks and major corporates.
Opinion | Fact-checkers make smart use of innovative grant fund
Grants might not be exciting, but Global Fact Check Fund is a major boost for some groups
