Job Discussion Forums

[Jerome Baxter]

In a public campaign, Marta, a receptionist at Speak Up won back pay after being unfairly dismissed. You can read about it here:

http://www.solfed.org.uk/north-london/marta-2-speak-up-0

http://www.solfed.org.uk/north-london/victory-against-wage-stealing-language-school

If anyone has any other stories about their experiences dealing with the dodgy, bullying bosses at Speak Up, please post them here.

Alternatively, please share any stories about fighting back against against shady language school generally. Too much shady behaviour goes on across that TEFL industry and it's important that we share our stories with each other about how we can stick together to improve our conditions.

Note: This is the second thread on this topic. The first one was deleted because of racist comments. The race and national background of the owners of Speak Up have no place in this discussion.

[Jerome Baxter]

Oh, and quickly, some other TEFL workers after hearing about Marta, took it upon themselves to take actions to support her.

While the enthusiasm is great, please do contact the North London Solidarity Federation ([email protected]) to get involved in the campaign - this way we can coordinate and make the fight back even stronger!

[Jerome Baxter]

Some other interesting stuff happening at TEFL schools:

Irish TEFL workers form union:

http://www.wsm.ie/c/english-language-teachers-standing-together-union

[Jerome Baxter]

Just on Speak Up, another former employee has just written an account of sexism at the school:

http://libcom.org/blog/working-man-06062014

[Captain Coddo]

Yep, and you can find out some more bad news about these shysters here:

http://tefltradesman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/speak-up-forced-to-pay-up.html

If you are currently working for these cowboys, I'd be worried, as it looks like you might not get paid!

[Jerome Baxter]

I just want to make it abundantly clear that neither the Angry Language Brigade nor the Solidarity Federation - the two main groups supporting workers at Speak Up - are in any way associated with the TEFL tradesman.

We find much of his rhetoric to be disgustingly racist.

That's not directed at you Captain (assuming you're not TEFLtradesman).

EDIT: In fact,

http://libcom.org/blog/response-racist-tefl-blog-30062014

[Captain Coddo]

God forbid, JB! It's well known in certain Tefl circles that Sandy McManus (aka 'The TEFL Tradesman') is an incorrigibly reprobate character, half pikey, half paddy, and more than half pissed usually.

It makes me shudder just to think we could be conflated - or even related!

[Captain Coddo]

I see from this month's edition of the EL Gazette that the awful 'school' in London known as Speak Up! has been subjected to an occupation by the Angry Language Brigade and International Workers of the World.

The matter concerns the 'school' owner's insistence on foisting 3rd world conditions on his staff, as "the group presented a letter detailing ... grievances including unpaid holiday pay and teaching hours classified by the school as 'training'. ... 90 minutes later management emailed offering a resolution."

The 'school' has become notorious in recent months for its exploitation of workers and its refusal to follow legal guidelines on the treatment of employees. Hopefully this further matter is the final nail in the coffin.

[JRJohn]

Thanks for posting this news! It really made my day to read about EFL teachers actually sticking up for their rights and winning for a change.