Job Discussion Forums

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

A new poll. Remember it's anonymous. If you don't like it, don't participate. All due to my curiousity factor.

In my opinion, a "midnight runner" is strictly leaving a job without telling TPTB (whispering in a fellow teacher's ear that you will leave tonight doesn't count).

I'm still giving a couple of options as well in the poll. Have fun!

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

guess i cant answer the poll. i left a school last year with five days notice that i was leaving. in between the time i gave the notice i was leaving and the time i actually left the country, noone from the school contacted me. i did get a phone call from the school as i was going through passport control, but i didnt bother taking it. not sure what they were about to say to me....

7969

no_exit · Joined: 12 Oct 2004 Posts: 565 Location: Kunming

I told the university that I was teaching with that I had an illness in the family and had to leave after I had signed a contract to teach for another semester. In all fairness, I did tell them a month ahead of time, before the new semester actually started, that I wouldn't be able to carry out my commitment to them. I guess that doesn't really count under Kev's standards, but I did feel guilty. In actuality, I left the university to work for a private school which was offering me near double my salary with the uni. By that time I had gotten so fed up with my FAO, and, to be honest, my students, who, with the exception of a select few, were practically braindead (and cheated on everything!!), that the decision wasn't hard, although the FAO saw me on the street a few months later and probably realized the whole illness thing was a lie. Oh well.

Voldermort · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 597

I have never pulled a runner, but I do agree as only the last resort. In my case, I knew the I had to get out, but pulling a runner was not the solution. Instead I stood my ground and argued every little thing that was against the contract. In the end we came to a mutual agreement.

Babala · Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan

I have never pulled a runner but I did end a contract early. The school breached many clauses on my contract so I went to them and requested the contract terminated. We fought for a bit but finally when I made it clear that I was willing to take action against them, they gave me my release letter and a letter of recommendation.

stil · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 259 Location: Hunan

I left a contract early but not by runner. In my contract, both the school and teacher could terminate with one months notice. I gave them 2 months noticed and left after 1 term.

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

no exit . . . I think you may qualify under "leaving before the end of a contract". I still think a "midnight runner" is just up and leaving. No word to anyone (generally, I suspect that in most cases the person probably tried to iron out differences first only to find themselves banging their head against a wall) - you are there one day and gone the next.

Super Frank · Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 365

I have done a runner from jobs in England, but not a teaching job. Do I still count???

saint57 · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 1:44 pm Post subject:

When I was 17 I worked at Mc Donald's for less than two months. One night as I was mopping the floor at closing time my supervisor said something that pissed me off. She was a real beach. I said F.U. and tried to storm out in a blaze of glory. Unfortunately the door was locked. Shocked

mandu · Joined: 29 Jul 2004 Posts: 794 Location: china

i have never done a midnight runner
but if ya have to do one,then i agree with it

expatben · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject:

I did one once, in Poland. It depends what you mean though. I upped and left that night but the same night I left I told 2 teachers I was leaving.

tofuman · Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 937

Schools may violate the contract and unless they have paid you the penalty for so doing, if you leave for whatever reason, it is not a "runner" since they already nullified the contract by violating it and not paying you.

When I was teaching, my school had blatantly violated the "internet" clause in the contract for several months before I caught on. I then reported them to the provincial FAO and had a rather confrontational meeting with the VP in which I suggested he was a thief and demanded the matter be remedied within one week.

The "Chinese lesson" clause is often violated; consequently, if you find that these matters are not corrected, you are not doing a "runner" if you leave.

Some of these people prey upon the Westerner's conscience since they lack one of their own. Like sociopaths, they will take all they can and give as little as possible in return. If you let them, perhaps you deserve it.

amandabarrick · Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 391

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

latefordinner · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 973

Haven't pulled a runner yet, at any job in any workplace. I have given notice for various reasons, including health,but I've always finished as best I could. As I'd like an employee to if I were in the boss's shoes. Yes, I've worn those too.
The only time I regret is the one time I didn't run. The school violated the contract in several ways, and in hindsight it was almost as if they were trying to get rid of me from the day they hired me. All the same, I stayed with them at some personal cost. I was duly rewarded when they stiffed me for over 10,000 rmb.
Yes, I've seen decent bosses badly treated by unscrupulous employees, but I have far more sympathy for the honest workman who is badly treated by an unsrupulous boss. There are far more of the latter in China's EFL market than the former.