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CVN-76
Joined: 28 Mar 2014
Posts: 171
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 Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Trying to form a union in the Gulf will only earn you a quick exit. We're a dime a dozen...
VS |
I know this is true. But if ALL engaged in forming a unified front, what would the powers do? They wouldn't send everybody home. They may not send anybody home. I think teachers should go for it. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 8:29 am Post subject: |
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| CVN-76 wrote: |
| You'll have to remain curious. I won't be distilling out any grandiose plans for unity among teachers. Especially for those in the Middle East. I'm done with that part of the world. You will have to be creative on your own in solving the "salary problem". |
I was just curious about your basic agenda for teacher unity and not about any "grandiose" plans. Besides, you're the one who rather passionately introduced the topic on this thread. Either way, I've never had a salary problem, nor do I have any control or interest in what others' earn; we're all adults responsible for our own personal work/life decisions. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 11:06 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Either way, I've never had a salary problem, nor do I have any control or interest in what others' earn; we're all adults responsible for our own personal work/life decisions. |
Hear, hear! One thing that does annoy me a bit when I'm researching jobs is when employers are deliberately ambiguous in actually stating what they are offering. You know, when they use terms like "competitive salary" etc. If I see that in an ad then I usually don't waste my time with them. However, TEFL, of course, is not alone on that. Anyway, MuscatGary seems to have a low opinion of the terms offered in the job ad mentioned on page one of this thread and that's fine. However, at least they spelt out exactly what's on offer and, if you don't think the conditions are reasonable, or that you can do better elsewhere, then I don't see the problem. Don't apply! If someone else wants a job that I'm not even interested in then that's not my concern and good luck to them. Problem solved and the workers of the world didn't even have to unite. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| CVN-76 wrote: |
| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Trying to form a union in the Gulf will only earn you a quick exit. We're a dime a dozen...
VS |
I know this is true. But if ALL engaged in forming a unified front, what would the powers do? They wouldn't send everybody home. They may not send anybody home. I think teachers should go for it. |
All? Considering that organizing/managing TEFL teachers is best compared to herding cats, getting a unified front is probably going to happen just moments after World Peace. LOL
And I don't doubt that they would send everyone home... and then send off a couple messages to the subcontinent and all of those trouble makers would be replaced with teachers who won't make trouble on the next planes from Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka.
The next big salary drops are going to show up in the Emirates...
VS |
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EFL Educator
Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town
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| Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2015 1:51 am Post subject: |
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| EFL salaries will always be an issue on this board...it is best to hope for the best...and be realistic about one's expectations.There will never be a shortage of EFL native English speakers who wish to teach English abroad...the EFL baby boom continues! |
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CVN-76
Joined: 28 Mar 2014
Posts: 171
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
All? Considering that organizing/managing TEFL teachers is best compared to herding cats, getting a unified front is probably going to happen just moments after World Peace. LOL
VS |
This is why I'm pretty much retiring from the 'profession'. Not enough unity. Too many backstabbers, backbiters, and desperadoes for any kind of unified front to be established. "Give me mine for a short time. To hell with the consequences to others later." No thanks. I don't pay for the mistakes short-sighted teachers have made or the misbehavior they've engaged in after they're long gone. Understand I have a union background, so the dog-eat-dog, cowboy attitude is almost offensive. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:02 am Post subject: |
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| CVN-76 wrote: |
This is why I'm pretty much retiring from the 'profession'. Not enough unity. Too many backstabbers, backbiters, and desperadoes for any kind of unified front to be established. "Give me mine for a short time. To hell with the consequences to others later." No thanks. I don't pay for the mistakes short-sighted teachers have made or the misbehavior they've engaged in after they're long gone. Understand I have a union background, so the dog-eat-dog, cowboy attitude is almost offensive. |
My hometown is one of the safest Labor seats in Australia. My grandfather was also a shop steward in one of the most powerful unions in the country and, back in the day, the corruption and croynism that went on in the Aussie trade union movement, especially down at the wharves, was, IMHO, sickening. They are nowhere near as bad now as what they were, but they are now nowhere near as powerful as they once were. Yeah, yeah, I know there are also repulsive abuses occurrng in the corporate world etc. as well and I'm not defending that either. Anyway, speaking for myself, I'm pretty comfortable with the prospect of taking care of myself, making my own adult decisions and minding my own business. If that makes me a 'backstabber, backbiter and desperado' in your view then I guess that's just a cross I'll have to bear  . |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:16 am Post subject: |
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| CVN-76 wrote: |
This is why I'm pretty much retiring from the 'profession'. Not enough unity. Too many backstabbers, backbiters, and desperadoes for any kind of unified front to be established.
....
Understand I have a union background, so the dog-eat-dog, cowboy attitude is almost offensive. |
Since you claim to have a union background, you should have been able to defuse and even manage whatever issues arose between you and those so-called backstabbers, backbiters, and desperadoes. But unionizing isn't the answer to resolving what are essentially workplace personality conflicts. Anyway, if this is the situation everywhere you end up working, you might reflect on why that is.
(Edited. Thanks, spicegirl!)
Last edited by nomad soul on Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:38 am; edited 1 time in total |
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spicegirl
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| ... diffuse? Or maybe defuse / defuse ... |
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EFL Educator
Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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Workplace personality conflicts aka human nature.....welcome to the world of ESL!  |
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CVN-76
Joined: 28 Mar 2014
Posts: 171
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:18 am Post subject: |
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| I remember the personality conflicts and the 'nice guys' well in TEFL, especially in the middle east. If one kisses up to the right powers and kicks down the right colleagues, he'll / she'll maintain job security, absolutely. Being a 'nice guy' to the right people will get one far. I recall the person who was choking people in Saudi and Oman he didn't happen to like. But he was never arrested. He knew whom to choke and whom to flatter. Not only did this clown not get arrested after his third-strike felony assault, he was promoted, as he played his cards well. He knew to make sure he was liked by the right people. I also remember the nice guy (at least to the 'right' people) who nearly ripped a fellow teacher's ear off after hitting him over the head with a hooka pipe. He wasn't arrested after his felony, either. He curried his favor well, flattered the right egos. And he stayed out of jail because of it. I think this one went to Korea after he committed his felony assault. Then there was the case of the two drunks in Saudi (where alcohol is illegal) who got into it and one killed the other outright and fled. Never got the last word on what happened to him after he was caught in Bahrain, I think. Nice guys. But nice only to those they had to be nice to. |
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Tazz
Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| Going back to the OP and the subject of this thread- I see that the latest TATI advertisement on here, which is for Shinas college of technology, 5 native teacher positions-doesn't mention the specifics of salary...'attractive tax free salary' is stated-when all previous TATI posts for MOM colleges have given an exact breakdown of the package offered.....could we be looking at an increase, or a decrease next year? |
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CVN-76
Joined: 28 Mar 2014
Posts: 171
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Those places are like fast-food joints back in the west...'always hiring'. One would be wise to take both salary AND reasons for turnover into consideration at any Middle East job. One should ask why the supposedly well-paying gigs there have so much turnover before accepting any job in that region. Those 5 jobs at Shinas....are they jobs that are open because the school is expanding (unlikely) or are they open because 5 teachers left / were fired (much more likely) ? |
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madrileno
Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Posts: 270
Location: Salalah, Oman
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Tazz wrote: |
| could we be looking at an increase, or a decrease next year? |
Likely a decrease.
I've been seeing more and more ads offering a "competitive salary", which is just the polite form of saying "we'll the pay the lowest salary possible". Also, the rumor mill has been intensifying over the MoM replacing all the recruiting companies. Apparently teachers under the ministry make less than those who work for recruiters... |
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EFL Educator
Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| EFL salaries at worst will be on a steady fall for years to come or at best maintain the level that they are now...they should be called "competitive working class salaries". As more YOUNG, fresh out of college TEFL graduates (newbies) flood the market seeking jobs abroad I see little hope of salaries ever rising across te board. Also I see more and more ads these days in the region specifying age restrictions for TEFL jobs...which means your professional development experience and experience teaching English over the years will have little impact on your take home pay aka salary! |
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