Job Discussion Forums

uncle billy · Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Tacoma, WA

Kudos to B.K. and P.Q. you would think that they work for the MLIars and not HCT CERT. If they are wondering why some teachers haven't told them they will not be working for HCT next year this about sums it up.

I would like to thank a special MLI teacher for contributing this. I concur with them that the circumstances in this case do warrant a more public forum!

"Normally this sort of message should be delivered privately. However, I think the circumstances in this case warrant a more public forum. I write here as a disinterested party as none of upcoming changes related to the administrative switchover apply to me. It does, though, affect the lives of many of my friends and colleagues whom I have known for years. I will not sit idly by watching what they are going through without saying something. I cannot speak for everybody, but I know I speak for some.

I refer to certain assurances made over the course of several meetings between staff and HCT representatives. More specifically, the timing of delivery of contracts, HCT tickets back in to the UAE, the HCT personnel officer, and the recent salary raise. I want to state clearly that I am not accusing individuals of intentionally lying - for all I know, these assurances were made in good faith at the time. Yet I remember clearly, and it was unambiguously, publicly, and often emphatically stated that:

1) contracts would be ready for signing by mid April. It has been a month and a half since then - hardly good timing that allows staff to measure their alternatives.

2) staff who are staying on could outprocess before taking leave, fly out under GHQ, and fly back in under HCT. Not so now.

3) an HCT Personnel Officer would be on-site to help out with outprocessing procedures and to serve as a point of contact with HCT. Some people are already starting outprocessing and it appears we are on our own.

4) should the 15% raise occur, it would be factored in the calculation of salaries for the new contracts. A firm "no" now.

I asked several people to be absolutely sure that my memory did not fail me. It didn't.

Delays and modifications are understandable, but complete reversals are harder to justify. You could make an argument that in many situations an oral promise is not legally binding. I grant you this, but most people would agree that an oral promise is ethically binding, and if it cannot be kept, some sort of retraction, apology, or acknowledgement is expected, depending on the weight of the promise itself - and it is safe to say that the stakes are fairly high here.

Those of us who have been here for some time understand that circumstances can change rather suddenly and are often out of control of the spokesperson. I, like many, felt a sense that things just might be different this time when I attended these meetings, given the good reputation HCT has. But I have to say that even I was surprised with the complete about-face on these issues. What disheartens me most, though, is the fact that no mention has been made of the glaring disparity between what was said before and what is being said now. People have made plans based on what was said publicly, in a formal meeting, by a representative of the incoming administration. Disruption of these plans is a source of financial loss and emotional hardship to staff and their family members. Moreover, it undermines basic trust. This does not lay a good foundation for future staff loyalty. Some sort of acknowledgement that promises were not fulfilled might go some way in restoring that trust, be it public or private, formal or informal.

The above being said, I hope that things go more smoothly here on out for everyone, whether you are staying or leaving, staff or admin, HCT or MLI."

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

That pretty much sums it up or at least as people have been telling me as it went along.

Everyone had great hopes that things would get straightened out when HCT took over. But, it appears to me that the same 'folks' who had made the year before such a nightmare were and are still controlling the rules. The repeated changes of direction are classic for one group - while very rare at HCT.

The big question mark in my mind for those of you who stay is who will really be making the rules next year? Will HCT be as autonomous as they are within their own programs or will the same gang out back be playing their 'yes, you can' 'no, you can't' game. Presumably (hopefully?) HCT will be able to abide by the contract which has obviously been a nightmare to hammer out.

All through this I have felt sorry for the CERT guys who had to be the messengers. Assuming that they want to keep their jobs, they likely had to take great care exactly how they passed on the information. This is a perfect example of why I wouldn't have ever gone into managment... Embarassed

VS

uncle billy · Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Tacoma, WA

well-travelled · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 97

VS is too nice & sensible to be in management - especially HCT-style management!! Anyway, someone would come along and screw her up in the end.

And what's this "given the good reputation HCT has"?? Read down these pages and you'll see that a number of us are pointing out that this ain't necessarily so - and that the HCT hype (in certain colleges at least) is just that - hype. And it's about time that this was made clear.

The Middle East is, in general, a hell-hole when it comes to professionalism and fairness and job security. (But, there again, isn't everywhere these days??)What's happening at MLI is hardly out of the ordinary - but I do feel for those people - especially those with families - who are going to get really screwed up by management policies, or lack of them.

It's a rough old world - but, for f***'s sake - this ain't what education is supposed to be about.

well-travelled

seemore · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 15

grand fromage · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 131

seemore · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 15

grand fromage · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 131

Seemore, in all fairness to current and past coordinators, I have voiced what is a personal opinion and have let others add to the list if they wish. If I haven't made this point clear, my apologies and I hope this issue is now behind us. I guess time will show if others agree with me or not.

I am a little concerned by the personal tone of your final words. Unless you are a supervisor and feel that I excluded you from my shortlist, I don't see a reason why you should be threatened by my previous "compromise" comments. If you are one, maybe now's a good time to tell us why we should think anybody that ran the show for the last 2 years deserves our respect. Yes, there are varying degrees of compromising that current supervisors have achieved, but IMHO there isn't anyone there I still have much respect for. I am talking strictly about the western supervisors hired for their wealth of expertise and extraordinary qualifications Laughing

.

BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if supervisors join the list of whining staff on this forum as they seem to be the ones who have been seriously screwed by CERT themselves. Yes, if the rumor is true, all supervisors will have a 75% teaching load and a 1000 Dirhams more a month than teachers (that means a salary cut from around 16 thousand and change before the military raise to barely a measly 14 grand).

Now if I were a supervisor who just spent months helping CERT cut out the "fat", (the stories of supervisors using the CERT take-over as a way to get rid of people they didn't like are well known! That includes people with or without families and in one case a whole department! Throw in a few less-popular-supervisor-casualties into the picture and it's a regular soap opera in the making!) I'd feel at least a bit betrayed. All that compromising for a lousy 1000 chips more than the people I helped get rid of! The thrown in teaching hours are of course adding insult to injury. Poor guys or gals Wink

Seemore, if I got you all wrong, please try to find it in yourself to forgive me Wink

P.S. seemore, I might have already done all those things you so eloquently ask of me in your closing sentence. Or than again maybe not. I might even be writing this from a place thousands of miles away and basing all this on stories of my informants. maybe you never even met me. Damn, I am not even sure if I ever worked there at all. Military Lan... what? I guess you'll never know Wink

See you in your office on Saturday Wink

Then again .... Laughing

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

seemore · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 15

BD, do you really think that only one group of a workforce heirarchy "suffers" when there is an organisational restructuring? A bit naive. VS, do you honestly believe that middle management in ANY field or industry in the UAE actually controls 'the rules'? You cannot have lived in the UAE for very long, then.

The endless conjecture, rumor-mongering, and poison pen tactics that takes place in these forums is destructive, not constructive. What is the aim you are trying to achieve when you sit down to the keyboard, in secret, and slander people you know or schools you are affiliated with?

GF speaks to us of respect. Respect is a two-way street, is it not? How deserving of respect are those who resort to name-calling and spreading rumors on the web? The trash talk that has taken place over the years on these ESL cafe forums reflects negatively on those of you who post as much as anyone you wish to denigrate. For present as well as past MLI staff, you are implicated by your association with the school, for better or worse. How can you be the self-appointed chief critic of the school or its management on the one hand, and on the other ask, "Where do I sign?" when contract renewal time comes around?

The next time you decide to point out problems with individuals or organisations, perhaps you might ask yourself a question: were or are you a part of the overall problem or part of its solution? One hopes that the future holds a promise of the MLI living up to its greater potential, but how can schools be moved forward by people who wallow in self-pity talking about their 'suffering' (please), or point fingers at others instead of accepting responsibility for their own part in the scheme of things?

I tend to be an optimist, and believe that the MLI has had, and still has in its ranks, some of the best educators in the field of EFL (yes, that's right). The school can rise above the challenges it faces, but CERT and the MLI management need to patch the gaping holes that have appeared as a result of the HCT's delivery not matching up with its goals. HCT needs to devote the resources necessary to do their job properly. The transition period has been a mess, but the fat lady hasn't sang yet. If nothing else, the next year will be interesting. Will MLI staff find themselves in the awkward and unexpected position of longing for the 'good ole days' under GHQ? Bet they never expected that. Only time will tell....

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

Grendel · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Middle East

In the Gulf, people can make griping a way of life. I remember many people damning AMIDEAST daily who now miss them daily, and I suspect many people will feel the same about GHQ. It's hard not to mock them. we will curse the contracts CERT offers, and most of us will sign it: we came here for the money, and we will stay for the money. We could do better if we could just act together.

Maybe CERT just counts on our greed and inabilty to act together: we'll feel we've done something by posting here.

But couldn't we do more? gossip says teachers at KAC refused to sign the contract, and got a general on the line to CERT. (mod edit)

Defeatism is always attractive, and nothing would be gained talking to BR, who sold out the military as well as everybody else. But since the military's dislikes CERT--ask what CERT did when it had a contract at KAC--why can't teachers at least one by one let officers know how unhappy they are?

As for CERT's empty promises, people rightly noted that a promise made in good faith on one day can be drained dry the next; what's troublesome is CERT's failure to admit it ever made a promise. I rmember the old quote from a Native American Chief about US treaties: "They broke all their promises but one: they promised to take our land, and they did."

grand fromage · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 131

Seemore, it looks like VS and BD have said eveything that needs to be said. Let me just add that while I RESPECT your views, I don't agree with them. I hope you can do the same for me.

P.S. If I had this exchange of opinions with a coordinator or an officer at MLI, I'd probably be packing by now Wink

Thanks for this forum Dave!