Korean Job Discussion Forums

ssuprnova · Joined: 17 Dec 2010 Location: Saigon

As most of you might know, Gyeonggi-do is doing away with Saturday classes starting this school year. Paradoxically, the kids are not too enthusiastic about it, since most of them will now have another "free" day to attend hagwons. Which brings me to the topic of working on Saturdays.

Is your school beginning to offer classes on Saturdays?
Are you being "asked" to work Saturdays?
Is the Mon-Sat work week the new norm?

My hagweon specifically said they wouldn't hire any replacements unless they are willing to work Saturdays. Some friends working for a big chain had their contracts re-written to include mandatory Saturday classes. Other schools seem to be less formal about it - a friend of a friend was told that she'd now be working Saturdays for no extra pay or they'll fire her.

sulperman · Joined: 14 Oct 2008

For people who are suddenly bein told they have to work Saturdays, I have a very easy solution for you- say no. If every teacher at your school agrees to get together and sign something saying you will not do it, what choice does the school have? People really dont realize that as the foreign teacher, they hold all the cards. The school can't fire you all- every parent would pull their kid out the next day. The smallest amour of solidarity can work wonders.

It's always tough because somebody is about to finish their contract and doesn't want to risk losing the end payoff, or somebody loves the school
or doesn't want to piss anybody off. But if you can get everybody to stick together, and are reasonable and even-headed in your response to the school, anything is possible.

hubbahubba · Joined: 31 May 2008

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

sulperman · Joined: 14 Oct 2008

YTMND · Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Location: You're the man now dog!!

I don't see the point in following some ritualistic "Saturday" off movement. You have 5 days to teach your classes and 2 days off unless you accept overtime. If it is Saturday and Sunday, then it's Saturday and Sunday. If it is Sunday and Wednesday, I don't see the problem scheduling it that way.

However, I would try to get 2 days in a row. If the school was flexible and willing to change monthly as needed, then I would consider oddball days off if it wasn't a regular thing.

1) Count your classes.
2) Teach 3 or 4 in blocks with ONLY 1 break in between so they aren't stretching your hours out.
3) Don't do too much overtime your first month. Do a little and see how they pay you for it.

Dalton · Joined: 26 Mar 2003

I've had a recent experience similar to this. The school started having meetings and piling up paperwork that clearly needed to be done at home. Within half a year about half the teachers are gone for various reasons. A third of those left within the first couple of weeks. Most did shoddy work while they explored the market. The obligatory firing for example ploy accelerated the departures.

Basically teachers figured out that any school they worked for would be better. A few stuck around but man are they miserable. Ask any one of them about the school they work for and they'll tell you not to work for their school. The one's that stuck around were all natives born in a foreign country and feel they cannot get the same pay elsewhere.

Good luck with that Gyeongi! Thanks for the heads up.

Edit: the teacher that got all the perks was the most recent to quit. Couldn't stand the heat from co-workers I think. But it's also possible that being so good led to getting the most paperwork.

Julius · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

This kind of exploitation is on the increase across the board now.

Employers are sensing they can get away with a lot more due to the recession.

Korean bosses have realised that there is an endless supply of western economic migrants. You can get a new teacher at a moments notice it seems.

Seriously, it is no longer worth it for the sheer hassle of newbies to start up here. Way too much of a risk. Sooner or later your boss will do something incredibly stupid and very disappointing with your contract. Forcing you to either become a slave ..or leave.

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

Looks like Saturdays are coming back. It was norm about 9 years ago. I did it! Was fine - annoying but fine.

Little confused is this constant every week Saturday classes or the once in a while Saturday class?

Saturdays can be good and bad. Good point that 120 hours month/30 hours-week is spread out more. So a work day could be easier with a 4 hour - 5 hour workshift. But as somebody commented it can be abused with a school wanting to spread it out over the DAY! Bad well if you have a social/night life and teaching a 12:00p class hung over.

The schools that force or coerce Saturday classes will find them losing out in the end from runners, no job takers, constant change over of staff. Some schools will learn to balance it. Extra pay, staggered day offs (IE once a month a nice 4 day long weekend), Tue to Sat schedule, etc. It is all market and supply/demand. Some schools just look at one aspect and never calculate the other.

Still it is all up to the teacher who signs the contract on whether it is acceptable or not. Or the teacher that just turns around and takes it.

Another question is this for just Gyeongi-do or all of Korea?

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

If the public school programs continue to downsize most of their employees, get ready for shared housing...

(Also something from a decade ago...)

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Considering that most public schools have only one FT...that's not a huge worry.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

That was in reference to the comments about the growth of hakwons and including of Saturday classes at them now that public schools are cutting them out.

As public schools shrink, the job market will switch back to hakwons, and owners will take further advantage.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

I was referring to the comment that mentioned the influence this will have on the hakwon industry --- as parents seek other places for the kids to go besides staying home.

Hakwons will seek to increase revenue by adding Saturday classes. More hakwon workers will have to work Saturdays.

And if the downsizing in public school jobs keeps going, along with the continuing poor global economy, it would not be surprising to see hakwons go back to shared housing.

Saturday classes and shared housing were the norm (in hakwons) not too long ago (10 years or less).