Job Discussion Forums

[Gnocchiman]

Clearly one must be a cruel and shallow person for feeling the need to kick somebody when they're down like this. Did I even mention anything about children? Shameful. Just shameful. But, then I am used to such utter thoughtlessness after this week.

[hamergirl]

Well said, Gnocci. This past week has made me rethink all the nice things I've ever said about working at UAEU. It's really sad to see colleagues behaving so nastily to each other rather than coming together to support each other. I'm so sorry about your situation. I wish you all the best with your future plans.

[helenl]

I have to take Gman's side here. While I know the married with children have more to consider in such a situation - why are the single and childless more "worthy" of being sacrificed? Sure, we chose not to marry and (perhaps) not to have children, so too did you who did choose to marry and (perhaps) to have children. We are doing the same job for the same pay, but we must be considered expendable? Sorry. Don't agree.

However, singles and the childless married are being chosen first because it is easier for admin to find housing and not have to worry about schooling issues (if included in the contract). It's impurely an economic issue, because if married and both are teaching, the system is getting a bargain compared to either singles (next on the list), married with only one working, and thirdly with either both working or one with children - the price goes up for the organization as the non-contributory body count gets higher.

And don't forget, we ALL chose to work here - in most Western countries, families/children wouldn't even get considered in similar situations/downsizing. Would go by seniority and need of the organization and corresponding skill set match. But, that's elsewhere, we live here.

[Neutrino Girl]

Iamherebecause, I think that those who have been reassigned understand why families are not being moved. I don't think that there is 'resentment' per se, just a feeling that they are seen as more 'expendable' because they do not have children. Which isn't fair, you have to admit.

Singles and couples without children, especially couples who are both working for the university, are not getting all of the 'extras' from the university like school fees, flights / insurance / visa fees for dependents, larger housing, etc. etc. but are the first to go in a situation like this. It isn't fair for them. So let's not be so cold, eh?

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

No one's going to win this argument.

Best to get back on the commiseration track that everyone was on until a bit of bitterness reared its ugly head...

I'm not pointing out any poster as emotions are everywhere, but one might think that those appointed above might find the latest bent of this thread to be somewhat humorous...i.e. the pack turning on itself...

NCTBA

[veiledsentiments]

Well... in situations like this, we human do tend to turn on each other.

As a single, I would resent being in the first "cull" (so to speak... but they are being moved to a debatably equivalent job in education in the same country), but I would understand intellectually (if not emotionally) that teachers with children will need to go to a place with schools which adds another factor that management doesn't want to deal with...

No matter who they choose or why... it can and will only cause resentment.

VS

[MrScaramanga]

The argument of singles and "childless" married couples going first doesn't fly at all, for the very simple reason that there are many HCTers in MZ, Ruwais, and Fujairah who have families...

Same thing always happened with schedules being accommodated to the needs of couples with children over others; I never got that either.

Discrimination comes to mind, not to mention breach of contract on the part of UAEU. Nobody at UGRU signed on for distant teaching locales, no they didn't. This re-assignment business is ludicrous and would never fly in a country with decent courts.

Like I said before, I feel for y'all and hope UGRU-ites can stick together enough to be able to move forward with this.

MrS

[Ka-CHING!]

Surely it isn't right for UAEU to treat any of its employees this way, regardless of family status.

[Neutrino Girl]

[Smallbore]

Yes, it's a grim story after a long stretch of uncertainty. It will definitely make Al Ain a less appealing place - so many people who have contributed so much to the local community.

And for all of you who work so hard, it is a kick in the tender places to be treated like feelingless pieces on someone else's chessboard.

[eha]

' This past week has made me rethink all the nice things I've ever said about working at UAEU. It's really sad to see colleagues behaving so nastily to each other rather than coming together to support each other'.

But that's exactly what some people ALWAYS found about UAEU: the 'Don't rock the boat; I'm doing ok' kind of culpable blindness to injustice that is admittedly a feature of the whole Gulf expatriate experience, at least in education. Maybe it wouldn't have come as such a shock if some of these people had been more supportive towards ex-colleagues who were less fortunate than they in the past, or less agile at the fancy footwork needed to keep one's balance on the ethical tightrope in the workplace. Sorry people are having a bad time, though; wouldn't have wished it on my worst enemy.

[Neutrino Girl]

Here's an article in today's paper about what is happening with UGRU:

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100610/NATIONAL/706099820/1010

[helenl]

UAEU EFL teachers got nearly a month more summer holiday than HCT? I never knew that. Doing the math, does that mean UAEU teachers got 11 - 12 weeks holiday compared with HCT's usual 7 - 8 week (on average) summer holiday? or were there more holidays spread throughout the academic year?

[merry_prankster]

[merry_prankster]