Job Discussion Forums

[Serious_Fun]

[Horizontal Hero]

I thought the last increase was supposed to be a one-claim-meets-all-demands. I thought it was supposed to be fixed - we chose that option over a flexible living allowance that would be indexed according to the cost of living. Could be seen as going back on our word, and as being greedy. Then again, all the other claims that have ever been made by NESTA could also have been seen as greedy.

Good luck to them, and hopefully the EDB/Legco won't just get sick of our requests and go and and employ Philippinas, Indonesians and Thais more cheaply. They are already doing half the language work here anyway, for way less than us.

[ChrisRose]

Greedy? It appears so.

I myself have been unable to find any suitable positions here in HK.

As a non degree holder; (I do posses, a Dip.Ed (HKU), Dip.TESK (CUHK, Cert. ELT (Secondary) HKU SPACE, LPAT-(E), FTBE and many more, but no completed first degree). Hence, I am ready to give up on Hong Kong.

Let's just consider the situation outside of the the EDB- NET scheme.

Many government schools will try to offer entry level local terms or less. Usually a 10 month contract. No paid summer holidays, no gratuity!

The private sector are even worse. Contract based positions, usually without MPF let alone paid holidays.

On the whole the NET package whilst not comparable to local terms would appear equivalent to a GM with 10 years plus experience in the one school.

Just where do these individuals expect to find better terms than they already have? China, hmm 7 - 10k RMB a month Japan? The Middle East or back to the inner city schools of their home countries?

Whilst I can fully understand any unions attempts to look after their members interest, there is always a grey border between reasonable and ridiculous.

[hkteach]

Yes, some countries in the Middle East (Kuwait, Dubai) offer more than HK PNETs' top of range salary package.
Although the base salary in M.E. might be less, there's no tax to factor in, utilities are usually paid and accomm (or allowance) is also provided, so teachers there actually take home more per month than HK NETs.

Good international schools here have better salary packages than NET scheme (they offer 20% gratuity, bigger base salary and lower housing ... which works out better).

And certainly, salaries in NETs' home countries (usually Australia, UK, NZ) offer much higher salaries but higher tax. If I returned to my home country, I'd be on about the same (higher base salary, higher tax yes, but no exchange rate difficulties).

Being a NET here is not all it's cracked up to be.......Hong Kong is not an easy place to live for many from other cultures and many NETs are very unhappy with their working conditions and their general deployment.

Salaries have been eroded over time and what seemed good a few years ago makes HK less attractive now. Add to that the deployment difficulties faced by many and an education system in a time warp (a la 1940s in our home countries) and you can see why many are dissatisfied overall.

It isn't just the $$ - but an increase in benefits would no doubt mean some would stay on but if not, they will go to some place where the job satisfaction is higher.

And, degree holders with teaching qualifications and experience would be earning a lot more than 7-10 yuan a month. They'd be teaching in those swanky international schools in the big cities and earning a very good salary.

[ChrisRose]

You said some countries in the Middle East, I am afraid there aren't that many, nor that many positions listed.

International schools in Hong Kong. Again only a few have similar or superior terms.

With regards to the desired raise in the special allowance. I should have been a little clearer. The allowance itself is meant as a buffer towards start up and the continued living cost. It is not per say the basic salary. Even if it is interpreted that way.

So you have a small number of teachers in H.K., whom want a 39% increase in a particular benefit. When you consider that the benefit alone is higher than the entry salary for teachers on local terms, it does seem excess and greedy.

[11:59]

I say good luck to them! Whilst I take the point made by HH and Chris that this request/demand may appear excessive and greedy, I think we do have to remind ourselves that we are after all in the go-getter of all go-getter societies, Hong Kong. This is the frontier town of capitalism where the siege mentality is commonplace and most if not all unerringly subscribe to the ethico-economic principle that 'more is better'. Given this context, I do not think it is too unreasonable to seek more remuneration, especially since as noted in the article costs do appear to be rising (rent certainly is) and current exchange rates may make HK less attractive (i.e., for those with a mortgage, education fees, and other bills 'back home'). Also, the government has been boosting of its end-of-year surplus and the healthy state of the economy, and many in the both the civil service and the private sector have recently been awarded fairly substantial salary increases and/or bonuses.

HK Teach is right I think to point out that HK does indeed have some serious competition when it comes to attracting and retaining teachers. Kuwait and Dubai are too destinations in the ME already cited, but you can also add Bahrain and, if you don't mind a restrictive life-style, the KSA. More locally, Singapore and Brunei can also offer attractive packages to the sort of teacher who would be eligible for the higher-end of the EMB/EDB pay scale, and Japan too can offer some high salaries and decent overall packages for experienced and qualified teachers.

[Muscateer]

Japan has no high paying jobs outside of a very small handful of international schools. I spent six years there.

Brunei is is for sleep walkers and employment conditions are subject to extremely arbitrary management and a very un-supportive CfBT (not to mention being unprofessional and rife with corruption and nepotism.) I spent a few years there too.

Hong Kong is a mixed bag but big enough that you could transfer to another school if you find yourself in a bad school. I now own an apartment here and live here, needless to say I like it here.

[11:59]

I beg to differ on Japan. University language instructor posts there pay very well indeed.