Korean Job Discussion Forums

[keithinkorea]

To get back on topic for a moment.

The red marker pen to correct the horrible use of English on that banner would be great. Koreans might not get it but it would be a lot of fun.

The fact that the banner is sponsored by a hagwon owners association sets the alarm bells ringing. They don't want a crackdown on illegals if it screws there business up and that's a fact, they do want a crackdown if it means sending a few more kids their way because their illegal (maybe well qualified, I've met a few) teacher is deported.

Wongjongnoms don't care in 90% of cases if the teacher is qualified, if the kids are learning etc. They only care about the bottomline, keeping the parents happy = dollars rolling in. 'ohh Yes Mrs Kim your son is a genius at English' even though he doesn't do any work, rarely speaks, spends half his time hiding under the table or ddong chimming other kids, 'Oh yes, your son is a genius'.

Koreans are their own worst enemy. Hakwons need to sort their stuff out.

If anything I'd much rather work half the hours, earn double the pay, do a better job of teaching and not have idiot ajoshi who know nothing of English teaching, knows no English and takes the lions share of the money.

puk them and the horse they rode in on. Regulate the industry, give all us legit teachers here 'teaching permits' and let the free market roam.

[Kimchieluver]

Regulation and free market = oxymoron

[keithinkorea]

[hari seldon]

The hagwon association's advertisement in mangled English against private instruction is the best advertisement for private instruction. "Students, this is an example of irony."

[iiicalypso]

You've convinced me. I am not buying any more French wine until that sign comes down!

[itaewonguy]

I think its about time we made a union.. I have been saying this for years!
picture this.. we start small first perhaps a city like daejon or suwon!
we get all the teachers to register with us .. then we call a strike!
then we get attention.. then we have all the teachers in the country backing us.. we can demand more pay! better teaching hours! better living conditions etc.. imagine if not 10 teachers went on strike at one hakwon but 500 teachers!! and just played the waiting game!
they would have to take notice!
if we keep bending over expect to get fucked

how many organizations in are there in our countries.. why isnt there one in korea for English Teachers?

[chronicpride]

You're assuming that there is broad solidarity in the teaching community here. And that everyone is pissed enough at their gig to do something about it, or caring enough to stand up and fight for the anonymous foreigner that most can't even look in the eye or utter a simple 'hey', when walking past . I'd hardly call the 100 regular or semi-regular posters here, a representative voice for the rest of the 19,900+ other teachers in this country. And of the 100 or so posters, if that, if you can find 10 to actually commit to following through, from start to finish, on putting together something like this, I will personally take you out and pay for the 10 of you to get stuffed, drunk and laid, as respect for pulling off the impossible.

[hari seldon]

[juicyhumdinger]

so anyone out there speak Korean well enough to make a more accurate translation?

[Plume D'ella Plumeria]

Seems to me that I heard some time ago, about a very loosely formed group of individuals who were involved in helping out people who were being ripped off by their hakwons. What they did was gather at the hakwon in question, bring signs with them, and hold an impromptu demonstration. They may or may not have gotten permission from the authorities to demonstate; I was never told of the specifics. It sounded like there were a dozen or so of them who would walk around in front of the place with signs attesting to the particular hakwon's dishonesty, in whatever form that dishonesty happened to be occurring at the time. I heard that they had a good deal of success...the last thing any hakwon is going to want is negative publicity. I thought it was a great idea. Someone needs to bring these thieving hakwon owners (well, not all of them, but a good many) to their knees.

As it is, we native-speaking teachers don't have much power. There is EFL Law, which is a great asset, and there are Labour Offices which will sometimes, but not always, help. As far as I understand, we are not legally permitted to form a union, but why some sort of support group couldn't be formed, I don't know. A group to make referrals, to compile a list of agencies that can help and a group that would be willing to go and demonstrate against the worst of the hakwons, among other things.

I, for one, would like to see some empowerment for the legion of serious professional teachers here, many who have been ripped off by dishonest hakwons. It's long overdue.

[buymybook]

I have experience as does my Korean friend who has helped me translate and/or find better translation. Unfortunately, we have made many trips to the labor office and district court. In court yesterday for the 4th time but only recently after filing my counter lawsuit, the Wonjang told the Judge they didn't receive my counter lawsuit papers/package in the mail sent to them by the court. The Judge didn't believe them because in his hands was the Wonjangs signature from the post office which they signed to receive. The Wonjang has no respect for the law or court, he was actually laughing his way out of the court room. 5th visit will be soon!

What people/foreigners need more than anything is guts to be in it for the long haul and a place to find legal work while fighting. I have been out of work since August and I'm about broke. How can I continue the fight which might help other foreigners? I have no reference and they want to know why I'm on a G-1(other) Visa. This allows me to stay in the country to fight for my rights, even though it seems as though I don't any rights to work since I was fired illegally. It's as though I've been raped, I am a victim! There are no rights for foreign victims of Korean employers. No employer wants to hear any negative word about your stay in Korea, if they do you won't be hired. Sometime I think, yeah O.K. I'll tell these folks everything about my case since I really don't have any reason to be ashamed. When/if my case is completed the Judge will hopefully have something to say about the Hakwon owners or the English education system which could influence law makers. Am I dreaming?

According to the court clerk I am the only foreigner to be at this current district court. Your right, foreigners dislike/don't care about each other just like Korean people. But I'm not like many/most of you, I will give yo free information...If you need to gather evidence such as labor office/police reports/files you complete a "Mun seo song bu chok tak" located at the court house in Korean. You will need office report/file numbers to ask the court to gather that information. Therefore you(Korean friend/helper) will need to ask your police station/labor office for that information. You will then eventually get a copy as will the Judge. The Judge asked my Wonjang if he knows case report/file numbers and he said "no," because he don't care since they are damaging to my past employer. I think I have been a little lucky(if there is any luck to have been gained so far) in that the labor office ruled in my favor. They are weak due to the law(hakwon 5 employees or less) but their decision may help me in civil court?

[iiicalypso]

I am all in favor of forming some sort of association-- I think it is a great idea.

Maybe I am a bit Pollyannish saying this, but perhaps instead of a group of foreigners getting together solely out of financial self interest, we should also organize to improve our public image. I know that there are lots of people out there who do good works, volunteering, tutoring, and other good things, but I think that it would be good to do these things as a group member, rather than as individuals. I think that if we show that we care about our communities, and let the media know, eventually the public at large will recognize that we are not just a bunch of selfish foreigners.

Newspaper reports aside, I have been warmly treated by Koreans, in small and big ways. In 1 1/2 years I have met exactly 3 sleazeball Koreans. That they happen to be my three hagwon owners speaks to the industry, but the people.

Anyone else serious about getting something together?

[keithinkorea]

[mithridates]

I assume the next step would be to make a Yahoo groups account and gather people there?

[mithridates]

There's also MSN Groups, www.startgroups.com, and some others.