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Taking the piss??

 
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:10 am    Post subject: Taking the piss?? Reply with quote

I just wondered if you could give me your thoughts on salary and pay raises. My problem is that I really feel like my school is taking the piss. I work at a private high school and after tax etc I end up coming out with around 246,000 yen. This is not an ALT position and I work hard-which I don`t mind but I would expect to be rewarded. I have been living in Japan for seven years and this is the worst salary I have ever got. I accepted the job because I had thought (and had been told in a round about way) that I would be rewarded for my efforts. I have kept my nose clean and worked hard for my three years here and it looks like there will be no change. My question is do I A. Need to stop complaining because there is nothing to complain about? or B. Have every right to be annoyed and should bring it up with someone??

Where are all the good jobs in Osaka by the way? I am always looking and can`t find anything.

Please give me your thoughts.
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PAULH



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:17 am    Post subject: Re: Taking the piss?? Reply with quote

tripper wrote:
I just wondered if you could give me your thoughts on salary and pay raises. My problem is that I really feel like my school is taking the piss. I work at a private high school and after tax etc I end up coming out with around 246,000 yen. This is not an ALT position and I work hard-which I don`t mind but I would expect to be rewarded. I have been living in Japan for seven years and this is the worst salary I have ever got. I accepted the job because I had thought (and had been told in a round about way) that I would be rewarded for my efforts. I have kept my nose clean and worked hard for my three years here and it looks like there will be no change. My question is do I A. Need to stop complaining because there is nothing to complain about? or B. Have every right to be annoyed and should bring it up with someone??

Where are all the good jobs in Osaka by the way? I am always looking and can`t find anything.

Please give me your thoughts.


If its not in your contract about what you will be paid then you dont really have a leg to stand on. Verbal promises or vague promises of better pay etc are not worth the paper they are written on. You may not be being ripped off but they are paying you for whatever you promised to work for. Complaining to someone IMHO opinion wont do much good, as there is nothing writing about completion and performance bonuses. If what you are getting is not enough then you better look for another job.
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The Dog Ate My Keitai



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:21 am    Post subject: Re: Taking the piss?? Reply with quote

tripper wrote:
I accepted the job because I had thought (and had been told in a round about way) that I would be rewarded for my efforts.

My question is do I A. Need to stop complaining because there is nothing to complain about? or B. Have every right to be annoyed and should bring it up with someone??


Definitely [A]. No offence or anything, but "being told in a round about way" isn't worth the breath with which it was spoken. Unless it was concretely set out in writing that you would receive XXX yen increase after YY years of service, or a yearly bonus of ZZZ yen, then you DID agree to the salary you are being paid, however good or bad it may be.

If you aren't happy, (and I agree, your salary is quite low for working at a school, not an eikaiwa) maybe you could try to re-negotiate your contract or salary with them. If not, I can't see any other alternative but to leave and find a new position elsewhere that pays better.

Good luck.
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply Paul. I know that I agreed to work for this but I actually wasn`t given the new contract until after the term had started and because of the empty promises I had expected a little more money. Silly me! Does this salary sound like a fair salary to you?
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I work at a private high school and after tax etc I end up coming out with around 246,000 yen.

Quote:
I have kept my nose clean and worked hard for my three years here and it looks like there will be no change.

Look at it this way, this is your third year at that school, right? You only have a month or two to go, and you can't stay longer, so next year you are gone. If I've misunderstood your length of term, let me know. That is, if you will be there from April, 2006 at such a pitiful salary, bail out now. This is prime hiring season. Plenty of fish in the sea.

I agree that this is a terrible salary. It is just barely more than what part-timers at my private HS make.

Do you get any bonuses?
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Glenski. No, I don`t get any bonuses and have been desperately looking for a new job, sending my resume off to people etc and can`t find anything at all. Osaka seems to be really short of decent HS positions.

Any advice will be welcomed.

Cheers!
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aside from telling you that Osaka is not the only city in Japan with teaching jobs, what more I can say depends on where you have been looking online.

What web sites have you used? Here's one in Japanese for private high schools.
http://www.shigaku.or.jp/
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use the usual internet sites and have sent some resumes off to private schools but got no answer. Thanks for the website. I have to stay in Osaka because my husband`s job is here.

Cheers!
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yamanote senbei



Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 435

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tripper, rather that leave, you might want to join the General Union and get their help negotiating a new contract with your school.

http://www.generalunion.org
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the tip. I have a friend in the general union so I will ask him
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yamanote senbei



Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 435

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you employed directly by the school or through an agency?
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is direct through the school which is even more annoying since ALTs make more. I am trying to negotiate the contract but since the other 2 teachers basically agree to these conditions, it makes me look like a real money grabber. I would be happy enough here if they just raised the salary, which is only fair considering I have never caused them any problems and do a good job. Don`t you agree??
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is direct through the school which is even more annoying since ALTs make more. I am trying to negotiate the contract but since the other 2 teachers basically agree to these conditions, it makes me look like a real money grabber. I would be happy enough here if they just raised the salary, which is only fair considering I have never caused them any problems and do a good job. Don`t you agree??
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is direct through the school which is even more annoying since ALTs make more. I am trying to negotiate the contract but since the other 2 teachers basically agree to these conditions, it makes me look like a real money grabber. I would be happy enough here if they just raised the salary, which is only fair considering I have never caused them any problems and do a good job. Don`t you agree??
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tripper



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oops!! Sorry about that but it didn`t flash up "message has been posted"

Laughing
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