Job Discussion Forums

[tefllifer]

Hi
So - this weekend gas went up by 30% in the UAE. Groceries are costing a lot more, too. Times are starting to get tight.
Where - oh where - is the promised pay raise?
Any news anywhere, anyone?

[spicegirl]

I guess we're all feeling the same as you, tefllifer. I find it amazing that back in April a pay-rise was announced for all Government employees .... 25% for locals and 15% for ex-pats - and yet, no word, no news, no confirmation, no denial - in fact, not a sausage!

I imagine it's bury your head in the sand time for the government institutions - if they don't say anything, we might all forget about it! UAEU employees were optimistically thinking that they might get it this month, back-dated to 1st May, when it was supposed to be effective from. Just watch those little porcine creatures flying overhead. Last week, all teachers at UAEU found a 'to whom it may concern' letter in their mailbox, in Arabic, showing their current salary - it's exactly the same salary as last year. They're assuming that it's a face-saving way of telling them that they're not going to get a rise - or are they wrong?

I suppose that the institutions were all taken by surprise when the increase was announced, and presumably they have nothing in their annual budgets to cover this extremely necessary rise in salaries. However, you'd think that the federal budget would be able to put the extra into the coffers of the government institutions to pay for this: after all, it was the government that announced the rise. Mmm .... since when did logic ever come into anything here!

As you say, prices are increasing all the time, and with the astronomical rise in the petrol prices, we can expect things to become even more expensive very soon. I would imagine that if no pay increase materialises, a lot of people are going to be looking for jobs elsewhere. The salaries here are no longer good - particularly if you factor in the exchange rate for European, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, South African teachers these days. Most of us have financial commitments which mean we have to send money out of the country. Only those employees whose home currency is pegged to the dollar might still feel they're earning good money, and even they have to deal with the rising cost of living here.

Lots of rumours - has anyone heard anything specific?

[holymoly]

The 15% increase is a non-starter. The sheiks up in Abu Dhabi have the delusion that westerners are clamouring to come to their sand box of a country and work simply for the priveledge of being paid a non-taxable salary.

It was front page news in todays Kaleej Times:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/index00.asp

that the cost of living in Abu-Dhabi has gotten so that, and I quote" low and medium salary earners are unable to afford skyrocketing rents and petrol prices in the capital" With the UK pound going up and salary levels for teachers here in the UAE stagnating, there is little incentive for experienced professional teachers to come here. Backpackers and dodgy degree holders are welcome however.

Benefits are being eroded here in the UAE slowly but surely. If you are an established teacher in your home country and are thinking of coming here, do some serious reserch and ask people here on this forum before even considering coming over here.

HoLyMoly is ouT!!

[veiledsentiments]

Just out of curiousity, what is the price of petrol now?

[Jreng]

in Gulf news :Nation | Society

Published: 1/9/2005, 11:46 (UAE)

Gulf News found out that two Emarat service stations located in Al Ghusais and another located on the Sharjah-Dubai road were charging motorists the increased fuel price Dh6.25 for Mogas 95 and Dh6.75 for Mogas 98 per gallon. The old prices were Dh4.75 and Dh5.25 per gallon.

[Bindair Dundat]

[veiledsentiments]

[spicegirl]

Hi, VS .... I can't remember the exact time, but the price of petrol first went up about a year ago, more or less, though with my aging memory, it could've been 18 months ago (time goes by more quickly these days) - anyway, fairly recently. It doesn't seem expensive compared to Europe, but considering that the prices of everything seem to have sky-rocketed in the last 2 years, it's just one more expense that we have to deal with. Personally, I've been on the same salary for a few years now, and with no increase in sight, things are getting tight, money-wise.

As far as the 15% pay-rise is concerned, I heard yesterday that some people in other government institutions have also not received it, e.g. government hospitals. I don't know how widespread this non-rise is, though. I've heard that some people at the Ministry of Ed have received it, but I don't know if they're teachers or admin staff.

[minerva_UAE]

[veiledsentiments]

So, it sounds like the letters were a good news/no news thing. Good that they got them early to use for those various errands that require the letter, but didn't help to clear up the raise question. Good to hear that it didn't confirm that there would be no raise...

I guess we will just have to watch this space. You seem to have an inside source Minerva. If that source whispers anything about the raise appearing, I hope you will come on here and let everyone know.

Thanks,


VS