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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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 Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:13 am Post subject: Live in Gangnam? Then get the $%@* out of MY house!!! |
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/10/117_52813.html
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Native English teachers in Gangnam, southern Seoul, are up in arms over a change made to their contracts related to housing provision by the district office.
Some claim they are being forced to sign a unilaterally amended contract stripping them of housing.
But the Gangnam District Office said the complaint was unfounded because they will be given expenses.
The district office has recruited annually some 100 native English speakers for elementary and secondary schools in the affluent district, where housing costs are expensive.
Previously, the office offered housing to the foreign teachers along with a monthly salary of 2.5 million won ($2,130). But it told the teachers that from next year it will provide a housing allowance of 900,000 won per month, citing the burden of large housing deposits.
``Although we will still continue to offer housing fees, the foreign teachers are apparently having problems in adjusting to a new contract,'' said an official from the district office.
However, one foreign teacher, who asked not to be identified, said the teachers are angry after being coerced into signing the new contract.
``A lot of people are really angry about this because it was forced on us very suddenly,'' the insider said. "One day we got an e-mail and two days later the Korean liaison teacher came to us with the rewritten contract.
``It leaves us out of the housing that the district provided. It's not that they're not offering us anything ― there's now a monthly stipend ― but none of us can afford to live in Gangnam and there's also the huge expense of the key money.
``Everyone is now going to head for the Itaewon area because it's all we can afford, and we'll be competing against one another for the same places.''
According to one source, a group of teachers plan on taking the case to the labor board over what they feel is a grossly unfair amendment to their contracts, carried out without their knowledge.
Another said, ``The point is that we are being forced to sign a rewritten contract. That's why we are getting the labor board involved.
``From the teachers' perspective, we are pretty angry, but we can't speak out as we may lose our jobs because the school could see it as disrespecting them. Everyone has a different contract, but basically we're all being evicted.'' |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:49 am Post subject: |
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I would have been smiling to the bank if I was teaching in Gangnam. First of all, I would never live there as the rents are too costly. Secondly, there are a lot of places where one doesn't need key money to get an apartment...and Itaewon isn't the only place out there with cheap rents. If people put in 30mins commute time a day they could live somewhere nice and cheap and pocket the rest.
Hell out of the 100 teachers employed there, how many are complaining? |
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Seoul'n'Corea
Joined: 06 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:09 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
I would have been smiling to the bank if I was teaching in Gangnam. First of all, I would never live there as the rents are too costly. Secondly, there are a lot of places where one doesn't need key money to get an apartment...and Itaewon isn't the only place out there with cheap rents. If people put in 30mins commute time a day they could live somewhere nice and cheap and pocket the rest.
Hell out of the 100 teachers employed there, how many are complaining? |
Hey just you wait, all the districts will be soon screwing with the house their districts.
This is going to only further the anger towards SMOE treatment of teachers from overseas. Korea is going to lose in they eyes of the international community over this. |
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Carla
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:30 am Post subject: |
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I really hate to play the devil's advocate, because I really like and appreciate the ability to choose between housing and housing allowance, but there are those who brought this on us.
School rents house, puts down money, moves in teacher. Teacher leaves (for various reasons) and the school is out money for the apartment, out any damages, bills, etc. From the schools point of view, it's hedging the bets against runners.
Now, it's easy to say, all the runners are because the schools are bad, but we know there are people who run because they have family problems, because they have better offers, because they just don't like Korea, etc. |
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Rusty Shackleford
Joined: 08 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:00 am Post subject: |
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Thing is, if you refuse to sign the amended contract, what can they do?
Further more, guaranteed the new contracts in March will get way less than 900,000 for housing allowance. |
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Carla
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:02 am Post subject: |
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| Rusty Shackleford wrote: |
Thing is, if you refuse to sign the amended contract, what can they do?
Further more, guaranteed the new contracts in March will get way less than 900,000 for housing allowance. |
Ya, I was wondering about these things lately, where people are saying they are forced to sign new contracts (about other topics too). Why do the people agree? Is it either sign or get fired? |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:14 am Post subject: |
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There must be a bunch spineless idiots working in Gangnam.
Just how are they being forced/coerced into signing an amended contract?
CT: "Here is new contract... sign it please."
FT: "No!" |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Followed, of course, by: "You're fired!"
I'm with you, though, CM, on this. As I've posted in another thread: SIGN NOTHING! |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| CentralCali wrote: |
Followed, of course, by: "You're fired!"
I'm with you, though, CM, on this. As I've posted in another thread: SIGN NOTHING! |
No kidding. Can't they lose their severence and airfare over signing a new contract partway through? |
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Gillian57
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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If this happens it is going to spread like wildfire, and everyone will be put into the same position. Here are my questions: Will the schools be paying for the expense of the move, or do the NTs have to pay? Is there a clause that includes a "cost of living raise" if housing prices go up? Will the NT get a "travel allowance"?
Those are questions just off the top of my head, I am sure there are other questions.
All-in-all, this is lame, very, very lame. |
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oskinny1
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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How many of the non-native E. teachers live in Gangnam? I bet they have to travel as well. Many at my school have 1+hours of travel and this is in little ol' Busan.
Cost of living raise? It's a one year contract, cost of living isn't going to go up that much in a year.
Travel costs? Maybe they can give you 2000won a day for the subway. 
Good call on paying for the move though, the NT shouldn't be out of pocket for that.
The big thing is, how are new teachers supposed to find their own apartments? |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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i worked and lived (decent provided housing) in apkujung for a few years. my school owners/admin were surprised when i told them that i was leaving for greener pastures (ie..public school and wanted to get out of kangnam-gu). "why would you want to live somewhere else?"  |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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This is just the beginning.
Mark my words, in the future, you'll see them lower wages by almost 600,000 per month, citing their "excessively generous" 900,000 won housing allowance. |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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| CentralCali wrote: |
Followed, of course, by: "You're fired!"
I'm with you, though, CM, on this. As I've posted in another thread: SIGN NOTHING! |
"You're fired!"... I doubt it... but maybe, and even so (assuming the FT has worked long enough for the Labor Standards Act to apply), the FT can then always win a claim of wrongful dismissal with the Labor Relations Commission (Labor Board).
Last edited by cruisemonkey on Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
This is just the beginning.
Mark my words, in the future, you'll see them lower wages by almost 600,000 per month, citing their "excessively generous" 900,000 won housing allowance. |
The only problem with your statement is that it is not part of your wage, it's an allowance for housing. I don't see a problem with adjusting it up and down with the cost of housing. So far on this thread it sounds like the amount is in fact high. Enjoy it while it lasts.
I'm failing to see the downside to this. It gives the teacher much more flexibility and makes him / her less dependent on their employer. |
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