| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
laodeng
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 481
|
 Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:11 am Post subject: And I haven't got time for the waiting game . . . |
 |
|
(edited)
Last edited by laodeng on Wed Nov 17, 2004 4:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
clomper
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 251
Location: Beijing
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
at least your pay is delayed only by a few days.. ours got delayed by a month.. though they paid us already in cash. luckily, i don't spend that much and I still have money to spare even if it was delayed. My colleague though is keen on going to the labor dept to ask for help.
let's see.. the former foreign teacher here suggested to raise your concern to a chinese-english teacher. hint that you're thinking of "moving on" to another job due to that matter. In our contract, we could sue for breach if our pay got delayed. I don't know what's on your contract.
Also, might as well do what students usually do. They will not complain about your class to you directly. However, they will complain to other teachers until it reach the higher authorities. Then you'll know what the complaint is.. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
struelle
Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 2372
Location: Shanghai
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 12:44 pm Post subject: Re: And I haven't got time for the waiting game . . . |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I think I am losing my perspective along with my hair and teeth. |
Stay cool, I've been in this position before.
| Quote: |
| I am tired and depressed enough not to want to rock the boat--I've got good classes and a highly desirable teaching schedule--but I'm beginning to feel a bit of a pinch. Tactics? Strategy? Insights? Psychotherapy? Thanks much. |
I'd suggest a similar strategy I try when things get out of hand.
A few common incidents at my school always get my anger roiling, such as: delayed and inaccurate salary payments, vague classroom expectations, observations given with no notice, 'extra' duties without pay imposed at no notice, bad communication between staff, and horrible planning with the FT recruitment and overall English program.
Honestly I don't know how Chinese 'key' schools manage to function and develop with such poor organization and management skills. But, they do.
When an issue gets out of hand, my first reaction is to get pissed then decide to quit the school. But this is always an emotional response, so I must hold back and cool down.
Once I cool down, I note the pros and cons of working here, and take a long-term view. In my case, it's tough to work for a Chinese employer, but I can add it to my CV, especially cross-cultural skills and teaching a very difficult age-group. I figure 9 months of this won't look too bad. This is a stepping stone. Also, the hours are cushy so I can do part-time elsewhere on the weekends and still get a day off. The school has decent facilities like swimming pool, track, weight room, free meals, and basketaball courts. It's in the suburbs so it's quiet and spacious.
In light of this, and that I finish at the end of June, I can take the crap.
I'd suggest take a step back and note the long-term view. Sooner or later, and with persistence, you'll get the money. Your schedule is good, the job sounds fun, and you may be lining up a future career path.
Steve |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
laodeng
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 481
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
(edited)
Last edited by laodeng on Wed Nov 17, 2004 4:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Roger
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 4:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
I seldom lose my cool over delayed pay; my exsperience has in general been good. I can handle a delay as I have other sources of income, and I save enough to tide me over slack periods.
But I understand your concern; the most vexing thing about it is the total lack of concern on their part.
Often it's a problem related to the command chain. The person you are supposed to convey your opinion to is not available. Or she cannot find the person you want to complain to...
Thus it takes time. The accountant is absent... the FAO is pregnant and in hospital... there is an urgent meeting with some honcho... We are always at the bottom of the pecking order.
What does irk me a lot is when photographers or TV crews arrive unannounced to shoot pictures of me while I do my class...
On one occasion, I simply walked out on them before they could get a shot made! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
laodeng
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 481
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 4:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Thanks to you, too, Roger, for the therapy. I'm usually a bit more provident, but we have been trying to start married life in a more upscale flat. I guess the stresses have left me a little more vulnerable to the foolishness! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Susie
Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 390
Location: PRC
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 6:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
Could you try to get some of the money today, say RMB500, with a receipt. You could approach the wai4ban4 and ask him for this amount on the grounds that you are in desperate need.
I think the Chinese wai4ban4s have learned that some foreigners take their Chinese New Year salary after the holiday and run. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
laodeng
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 481
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Thanx for the insight. Come to think of it, they do still seem to be smarting from a runner. Cheers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
NumberOneSon
Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Posts: 314
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 4:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| laodeng wrote: |
| Thanx for the insight. Come to think of it, they do still seem to be smarting from a runner. Cheers. |
Perhaps someone tired of not getting paid on time?
I agree with you about the excuse "well, that's just China".
There's nothing special about China which causes people
to not get paid on time. I was paid on time all the time,
so NOT paying people on time is a local management
problem, not the fault of "China".
I've heard this excuse in schools when it was the foreign
management which was a major part of the problem, so
I don't buy that one any more. They definitely should
know better.
Sometimes it's China, but sometimes it's just laziness or
even condescension from an "old timer" who is too busy
with their own concerns to bother thinking about anyone
else.
Just one of my pet peeves... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Deborann
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Posts: 314
Location: Middle of the Middle Kingdom
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 5:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
My university is great - pays ahead of the month! One of the teachers here thought is still owed 10 weeks pay from her last university. Makes eating difficult if that is what you are living on.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Susie
Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 390
Location: PRC
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 9:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
You might get sacked for this argument , but you could ask the waiban for interest of x% per day for late salary paid.
Some banks pay interest on the money held by their customers in their current accounts (compound interest on current accounts). So say, the interest is 0.25% per day (or month) and on 24 Feb 2004 there's 10,000 in your account, when there should be RMB20,000 because your waiban should have paid you RMB10,000 on the 24 Feb 2004. So calculate the interest for one day, add the interest figure to the principal amount, then take the new figure and calculate the interest for another day, add it to the new principal amount, etc. and see how much you could have earned if your salary were in a compound interest current account and had been paid on time.
So you could have a quiet word with the waiban, politely suggesting that he pay interest on your salary of x% for every day the salary is late. DON'T make this argument if it is going to cause you to lose your job - half a loaf is better than none. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
laodeng
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 481
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
An update: Finally got my housing allowance yesterday (02/25). Salary supposedly will be deposited in the bank (for which they gave me an ATM card) no later than Saturday p.m. (02-2 . What the hey? Only 23 days late. Almost time to start getting agitated about next month's salary. Zher4 shi4 Zhong1 guo2. Thanks, all. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
whitjohn
Joined: 27 Feb 2003
Posts: 124
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I have been following this since it was first posted. We usually get paid on the 17th but that was right in the middle of Spring Holiday and I really didn't expect pay then. My classes started yesterday, and today I strolled over to the pay office and there was my money...all of it..no problem. Hey, In OZ no one works from mid Dec until 1st Feb so it shouldn't be a surprise to Aussies that things are a bit delayed during the "hols". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
struelle
Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 2372
Location: Shanghai
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 1:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
I agree with you about the excuse "well, that's just China".
There's nothing special about China which causes people
to not get paid on time. I was paid on time all the time,
so NOT paying people on time is a local management
problem, not the fault of "China". |
It's good to differentiate that. This is a pretty diverse place, so not all criticisms can be lumped into the 'China' category. I try to keep this in mind when I run into snags at a specific school, more often than not it's a localized problem.
Steve |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
