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englishgibson
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 4345
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 Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:33 am Post subject: Is Salary a Secret in China? |
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I have noticed that some Chinese language centers practise a "secrecy" with foreign teachers' salaries and when they come to agreements on terms and conditions teachers're told not to tell coworkers. Teachers are encouraged to provide their bank accounts for centers' accountants and their salaries are automatically put in...never mind what day.
The interesting part to me is when one has to sign his/her salary and the administrator covers other foreign teachers' total monthly pay. Have you experienced such practises in your centers?
Cheers and beers to the secrets of the 5,000 years old culture  |
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Itsme
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 624
Location: Houston, TX
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:18 am Post subject: |
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I'd normally take the bait but I think the answer is so obvious...
Ill join in if noone else has something good to say |
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Dan The Chainsawman
Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 302
Location: Yinchuan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:11 am Post subject: |
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| I've seen this in jobs in the USA as well. Keeps people from trying to demand more pay if they feel they aren't earning as much as the other fellow. |
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North China Laowei
Joined: 08 Apr 2008
Posts: 419
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:54 pm Post subject: Salaries |
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This is one of the big cultural differences.
The Chinese talk about their salaries, about everyone else's salaries and particularly about the salaries of the laowai. I have had totally unknown colleagues in this institution tell me how much I am making to the exact RMB -- and the situation is not unique here.
At one institution where I worked, they were much, much more discreet about salaries but that was the only place in all of China in all of my years where I saw that happen. Otherwise, it's the most open secret in the world. They judge by money and I have been told that by my colleagues and by many others. |
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samhouston
Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 418
Location: LA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Sometimes I wish there was more secrecy about the salaries. The respect for big bucks can quickly turn to resentment, especially in situations where the Chinese teachers make a third or a quarter what we make, but work twice as many hours. On payday at my last job, me and the other guy always made it a point to get our money in the office when no one else was around. And they certainly don't like hearing us complain about how we don't make enough. |
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Dan The Chainsawman
Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 302
Location: Yinchuan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject: Re: Salaries |
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| North China Laowei wrote: |
This is one of the big cultural differences.
The Chinese talk about their salaries, about everyone else's salaries and particularly about the salaries of the laowai. I have had totally unknown colleagues in this institution tell me how much I am making to the exact RMB -- and the situation is not unique here.
At one institution where I worked, they were much, much more discreet about salaries but that was the only place in all of China in all of my years where I saw that happen. Otherwise, it's the most open secret in the world. They judge by money and I have been told that by my colleagues and by many others. |
It isn't that different from the western world. Last place I worked here in the USA one of the major topics on a regular basis was salaries. We had these conversations despite the fact we had been warned to not speak about hour hourly wages to others. |
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loboman
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Despite all my rage I'm still just a rat in a cage...
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:27 am Post subject: |
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Well here's a reply. My school doesn't start till Sept so I took a side gig teaching IELTS.
They pay me 130 an hour. The 2 other teachers get 135 and 140 to do the same crap as me.
Yeah its not much but i needed the money and they gave me 72 hours for 2 weeks work and agreed to pay me on Spet 1 so I don't have to change money to live and my regular job won't pay me till Oct 10.
Should I walk out or complain for 10 rmb an hour?
Hell they are giving me 9400 cash ( no taxes) and I am happy... |
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SnoopBot
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 740
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:52 am Post subject: Re: Is Salary a Secret in China? |
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| englishgibson wrote: |
I have noticed that some Chinese language centers practise a "secrecy" with foreign teachers' salaries and when they come to agreements on terms and conditions teachers're told not to tell coworkers. Teachers are encouraged to provide their bank accounts for centers' accountants and their salaries are automatically put in...never mind what day.
The interesting part to me is when one has to sign his/her salary and the administrator covers other foreign teachers' total monthly pay. Have you experienced such practises in your centers?
Cheers and beers to the secrets of the 5,000 years old culture |
Yes it is all true, often the institutions are desperate and will pay more to get someone at short notice. Also some FT's are better at squeezing a few extra RMB above the initial contract advertisement. They don't want the other FT to ask for a pay raise but have limited control over FT's discussing their salaries with each other. However, they CAN control the Chinese Teachers.
The biggest secret salary group are the Chinese themselves, almost all of the TA's, fellow-CT's are advised if they reveal their wages to FT's they will be terminated. All are advised to either lie or not answer a direct salary question. The reason is obvious, most are paid almost the same as an FT.
Part of the low-salary illusion is to make FT's think that they are getting a much better deal than the lowly-paid Master's degree educated CT's.
It is almost impossible to get the truth in these matters unless you actually marry a CT like I did. Since my wife graduated from a teaching university, most of her friends, fellow-classmates, are all CT's teaching using English. Most are in the university circuits, schools including IS- to training centers.
Therefore, the honesty does comes out. I will tell you a secret, at the majority of Beijing universities a Chinese with a PhD will earn 20-30K+ a month.
Those with a good master's degree (from abroad) with 5-years experience will also be in this range at the lower levels.
Compare this with a FT that also has a master's degree, +5-years experience. How many of you earn between 20-30K with extra perks?
If you don't believe me , look at the parking lot and cars they drive. Can you buy a SUV on a 5000 RMB a month salary? They can do it it on their "claimed" 3000-RMB a month salary.
It's all fake just like 90% of the Olympics.
Some of YOU know all of this to be true... others suspected this to be the case.. many of you just get the feeling "something is not right."
It's secretive because often graft, tax evasion and bribes are involved. Secondary is the fact that most highly-educated and experienced FT's are getting the shaft and they don't want you to know.
China is a good deal for the lowest rung FT, those that have no experience, no real skills, no degree, their 3000-6000 RMB salary is very good for their experience and accomplishments compared to an equal educated Chinese.
This trend reverses at the higher level, a western person with a good education , high ability and experience is paid peanuts compared to a Chinese person with the same (or slightly lower) qualification level.
This is the system, it's designed for a high turnover group of young volunteers or experience-seeking travellers. NOT for long-term professional teachers. |
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GeminiTiger
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 999
Location: China, 2005--Present
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:21 am Post subject: |
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