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Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

My school is now seeking to introduce a surcharge for electricity. We enjoyed free apartment and utilities hitherto.
So, we are to get a basic monthly allowance and are then to be charged.
But, the rub is that all the central heating hot water radiators are turned off mid Jan to end Feb when it is perishing here. Electricity use soars over that period.
Has anyone had experience of this?
My thought is to agree but indicate that there should be no charge in Jan/Feb, when the school is not providing a basic heating service.
It is not an option to take two extended vacations per year ie July/Aug AND Jan/Feb.
Comments appreciated.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

It's not a good direction for them to be taking, but I suspect they would welcome your suggestion about the winter vacation usage and then open the doors for further negotiations.

Is there a reason why they want to start charging for utilities? Have the teachers in the school gone overboard and used a lot of power? Relative to the locals, I suspect that might be the case where they conserve like crazy, and they might have noticed an increase in the power consumption -- and thus are looking for an easy target to get more cash.

At any rate, that's just a guess, I would certainly ask them why they are doing this.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Well it was brought up initially in the context of a low carbon campus but it is $$ alright.
To be sure the young grads among the FTs ran their aircon units - 2 per apartment full throttle during the winter and walked around in shorts and T shirts. I doubt that any had ever paid a utilities bill in their lives.
Also they tended to be from (how do I put this delicately) a 'national group which historically has exhibited a certain profligacy towards resource use'.

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I'll update you as it pans out. The meeting to discuss is Thurs.
If we can get Jan/Feb (when there is no central heating) excluded, that will be a major victory.

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Nonsequitor..

That National group you mentioned... Republicans?

.

Optional_Toaster · Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 74 Location: Dong bei

If it is metered and you can monitor it, maybe excessive usage could be charged for. I loved living on campus with no electricity bills and running 3 electric heaters in the winter just to keep the place above 15 C. I started paying for it after moving and even without running electric heat I would find myself with 300 rmb electric bills. S'way it goes. I'm starting to detach myself from the university life (outside work) and it does cost. On campus, I'd say they should be paying for it....but it is all in the contract, right?

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Optional Toaster: No in ain't in the contract. It's an add on.
Ariadne: No not Republicans. View my comment from an international perspective.

Silent Shadow · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:56 am Post subject:

You say a charge for electricity is not in the contract.

Does it also state, specifically, in the contract that the school will pay all electricity charges? If so, it's a no-brainer. I would personally flat out refuse (politely, though). If you suddenly asked to add something to the contract to the effect that you wanted to teach less than your contractually agreed hours or required an increase in salary, would you expect the school leaders to agree to it?

I believe that most contracts state that "Add-ons" must be agreed on by both parties to be enforcable, which means that you have the legal right to refuse to agree with this new policy. Both parties have the right to ask for admendments in the contract or extra things, but the other party also has the contractual right to refuse such things. If your old contract is finishing at the originally agreed time, and these new policies are in the new contract then that's a different matter, but otherwise, as I said...

Unless there's a particular reason for you to want to keep the school "sweet" (for example they've been very flexible with the contract in your favour, previously), I suggest you politely, but firmly tell your leaders that you wish them to honour the contract to completion, by continuing to cover the whole of your electricity charge.

I can understand why schools want to change their policy on this issue because of the huge power wastage of some FTs, but they should honour the present contracts to completion, first, before implementing their new policy.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Let me chime in about power waste: The minute Chinese construction companies start building apartments with insulation, central air/heating with thermostats, double-paned windows and the other numerous ways to protect their dwellers from the outside elements, then that is the minute I start worrying about doing my part for conserving energy. I do turn off my A/C when I leave and I do only use one (of three) units in my home - - use a fan in the bedroom - - but I for one won't apologize for wanting to be comfortable in the sweaty, humid summers and the damp, bone-chilling winters of Suzhou.

Sorry, it's way off topic from the OP, but just wanted to get that off my chest. Now I'll go dry a batch of underwear in my clothes dryer. Laughing

Silent Shadow · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:27 am Post subject:

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Silent Shadow · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:45 am Post subject:

Maybe waste is the wrong word. Even somebody who keeps on their a/c or heater 24/7 may feel it's necessary, and free power is free power.

However, I can understand why school leaders/ owners might be concerned if they had to foot several bills a month under those circumstances, and instead decide to offer a limit in the form of a monthly stipend. Try putting your a/c on non-stop for a month and then look at the bill, and consider whether you would like to pay several bills like that every month if you were running a school.

Where, I believe a school is wrong, though, is if they attempt to bring in a new policy halfway through a contract; which Sequitur's school seems to be doing.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Now find it is being introduced as a 'safety policy'.
So the charge mechanism is buried inside a lot of other stuff about keeping cash and belongings safe, no unathorised duplicating of keys, no students in apartments etc.
However, usage is to be averaged so in July and August when FTs are away and not running the a/c, that will contribute to the months of heavier usage.
My query about the mid Jan to end Feb period when the central heating is off was met by a comment that you're being paid but not teaching so you should feel grateful. Well that's overstating it, but the Chinese seem to feel that paid holidays are some kind of utopian perk.