Korean Job Discussion Forums

[daejeontopgun]

Regarding the Daejeon Banner Campaign by the Daejeon Foreign Language Assocation:

The Foreign Language Educator's Association (FLEA) at its Monthly Meeting on Saturday, June 2, 2007 voted against a motion to take any legal action as a teachers' representative organization against the DFLA.

Why? Because it is not in our Mission Statement. If people in Daejeon want to make a change and have FLEA take action then come out to the meetings and make it happen. Our mission statement is no secret. It is posted on our our web site http://www.fleakorea.upcsites.com and on the http://www.expatskorea.tk web site.

On Saturday, June 9, 2007 my wife (who is Korean) had a 1 hour 50 minute conversation with Dectective Song ByeongIk of the Daejeon Immigration Office. In that conversation, she learned several things.

Namely that the Daejeon Immigration Office did not give official approval for the DFLA to undertake the Banner Campaign. Mr. Song is the chief dectective at that office. And he was really pissed off with DFLA and Charles in particular. The Daejeon Immigartion Office only learned of the Banner Campaign on that day, June 9!!!! Charles will no longer be "volunteering" as a translator for Daejeon Immigration. Mr. Song stated that he would like to meet with my wife and I to discuss this issue further but so far we have not heard from him.

IMHO he has bigger fish to fry: Mr. Song recently busted a university teacher at a university in Cheonan for having a bogus diploma.

Regarding my role as President of FLEA:

I have been democratically elected twice by the FLEA membership at its AGMs. I have tried my utmost to honor the obligations this role entails.
It is a volunteer position.

Because I have stuck my neck out and offered to help people in need ( I have a social work dgree from McGill), I get 2 or three phone calls and e-mails EVERY DAY about people in trouble with their contracts and living issues in Korea. And I do this while I teach at Daejeon University full-time.

Regarding my role as volunteer warden for the Canadian Embassy:

I have done this work since December 2001.

A highlight of this volunteerism was the organizing of a Canada Embassy Information Outreach Seminar held at Daejeon City Hall, Saturday, November 18, 2006.

At that seminar we had speakers from the National Pension Office, The National Tax Office, the Daejeon Regional Labor Board, The Canada Embassy Consular Section, as well as guests from Daejeon Immigration, the Doonsan District Police Headquarters and the Korean Red Cross.

Were you at the meeting to "stay informed"?

Regarding my role as the owner of Top Gun Consulting

I do not and will not tolerate ANYONE who slanders or insults me or my wife while I do my job. My wife and I are co-owners. We do our utmost to ensure that teachers are placed with reputable employers. There are many excellent schools in Daejeon. There are schools I will not do business with. And there are also teachers I will not do business with.

From a personal standpoint:

I applaud those who have filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission against the DFLA. How can I be added to the list or could I personally file my own complaint?

Any errors or ommissions I have made while performing my various duties are entirely my own. I appreciate the support I have received on this forum and on the expatskorea forum. For those of you who know me well, you do understand that I do not just "talk the talk, I walk the walk."

I trust you will all have a pleasant summer and see you at the Boryeong Mud Festival on the July 14/15 weekend!

Happy 4th of July America!

Richard Slezak

[tob55]

Thanks for the update...I sent you an email, and think your efforts should be applauded rather than being criticized...

[daejeontopgun]

Thank you very much!

[daejeontopgun]

I just received this response to my posting.

Richard:

Choosing not to take legal action against the DFLA was a good call - one of many good decisions you have made, it appears. Although I haven't met you, I'm impressed by the thoughtful, articulate manner with which you do business. After I return from The States, I hope to get involved with FLEA. Until then, please accept my appreciation for all you have done to help make the Daejeon teaching community a professional and reputable place to work.

Don't let 'em get you down.

Bob

[wylies99]

Bob?


Richard Slezak-You decided to sit on your hands. Not exactly a shocker there, Richard the recruiter. Don't want to lose any commission money, eh, Mr Recruiter? Your obvious conflict of interest is probably why the local teaching community has NO faith in you or your organization. Point fingers at others, but when you VOLUNTEER to lead an organization, you still need to do a competent job. When they see a real leader step up and speak for them, then they'll follow you.
BTW- when are your meetings? E-2 teachers do have jobs and lives to lead. Plus, this "meeting" was on June 2. Why did it take so long to post?

[Homer]

How many people at the meeting?

How many voting members in FLEA?

If action had been taken, what operating budget would have been available for legal fees?

How does FLEA help teachers concretely?

Does if offer legal assistance through lawyers?

Does it have contacts at the Labour Board?

It seems you want to do good and help but the post about the meeting and the votes may be miss leading if you are talking only about a handful of people in some room.

If you are helping teachers, keep it up...we need more like this.

But the questions above remain valid as does wylies post even if a bit aggressive and accusatory.

[Typhoon]

I would have loved to come to the meeting. I checked out the website to find out when it was. It said the 1st or 2nd Saturday of the month. Which one is it each month? If it is not posted there is not much that can be done. Kind of tough to find out when meetings are. Alas, I guess the Socius club is the way to go. Cheers.

[spliff]

Hmmm...sounds pretty well organized.

[ProudPop]

On a previous trip to Daejon, my buddy and I came accross your FLEA Meeting at a local bar downtown. All we could hear was a bunch of people with no clue what to do or how to do it. We listened as you all blabbed away about stupid things that won't help anyone.
So, as the OP stated, it's not in their "mission statement" to do anything, WHAT GOOD RU THEN?? You're there to support the teachers of Daejon, but you did nothing while this crap was going on...
The previous poster was correct though, the OP has a conflict of interest here by working in the recruiting field, perhaps that is why FLEA didn't take any action???? Don't want to alienate any potential schools?

[Homer]

*If* this is true: Meeting at a local bar downtown

Then it speaks loudly as to the seriousness of FLEA....

[garykasparov]

Does FLEA have a mission statement? Don't ask, Don't tell policy.

[wylies99]

I stand by my comments. I may be the first to post these comments but everyone else is thinking along those lines.

[The_Conservative]

As a recruiter yourself, there is an OBVIOUS conflict of interest between your role as head of the FLEA organization and your recruiting business.


Why? Because the Daejeon hakwons are all together in an organization. If you sue one or two none of the rest will do business with you for fear of being sued by you on behalf of a teacher who was placed there or simply out of retaliation.

[shifdog]

[garykasparov]

Sleezack and the knights of the *beep* table (law violating hagwon association) are all crooks of the highest order. He recruits for hagwons who have no regard for the law and he sends newbies to really bad schools in Daejon. Many schools including Sleezack should be shutdown.

Mission Statement The Foreign Language Educators' Association