Korean Job Discussion Forums

alwynjo · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Location: Daejeon, South Korea

After doing months of overtime (some of us have been doing over 20 hours overtime) we have had enough.
In January we said - no more thanks! They said they were adding 2 more classes, and we said no!
Earlier this week, we were called into a meeting where we recieved our new timetables. After previously saying 'no' turns out that they are now not adding 2 new classes - but 5!!!
This will mean that 2 of us will be working from 10 am to 7:35pm with 3 35min breaks a week (not including our lunch break of 1 hour per day, which will have to be used for planning).

This was not a request for our time....the director has already taken the money from the parents for the classes.

We are refusing to teach past our contracted 120 hours this month. We are - at the moment - in a standstill.

They couldnt possibly fire all 3 of us??? We are checking out our legal stance this weekend.
What do you think?

teachingld2004 · Joined: 29 Mar 2004

Are u sure u are prepared to be fired? Do you have another job lined up? Many jobs open these days, but you need still to have sealed transcripts.

Read your contract very carefully. What do they consider an hour? Is it 50 minutes, or 60? Are you paid for breaks? Most likely not.

Does it way that you have to agree to over time?

I know you are in the right, just make sure that you are not screwing yourself. Perhaps the school wants you guys to quit. Who knows the minds of people.

Just prepare to protect yourself first. Like NOW have some one at home get you sealed transcripts and send them to you.

Keep us posted.

Remember, even though you are most likely right, you still have to have a job and an apartment.

Rules have changed here as far as immigration is concerned You need sealed transcripts to take o immigration, nomatter how many years you have been here.

You can all say you are going on strike, say you will tell the parents why yu are leaving, etc etc. Just protect yourself.

inkoreaforgood · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Location: Inchon

The question is do you want to continue working there? If not, legally you are better off if they fire you. If you quit, you are violating the contract, but if they fire you, they are violating the contract(and thus the law). So, when it comes to losing your job here, get fired and don't quit.

They could line up 3 more teachers to replace you 3, then fire you. However, if they do that, get your letter of release from them. Then go after them with the labour board.

I don't know whether a mandatory overtime clause in a contract is legal here. Give us some more info, then perhaps better advice will be forthcoming.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

No, it's highly unlikely that they could fire all three of you at once. Good on you for taking a stand. They need to hire another teacher, not fire one.

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

United you stand....divided you fall.

Have you been paid for the overtime?

Is your overtime rate as low as your salaried rate? 16,000 won per hour?

As long as you stick together as a group you should be fine.....your mistake was allowing them to take the inch in the first place.,....now they want the mile!
If they have to hire yet another teacher too freakin bad! 9.5 hour days Razz

Legally they cant force you to work overtime.....pull up the labour board website and point out article 6.

alwynjo · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Location: Daejeon, South Korea

Does anyone know the labor board website address?

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

http://www.molab.go.kr/

http://english.molab.go.kr/

RR beat me to it...

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Are you getting paid OT? If you had a set schedule on your contract, even the breaks would account for your total hours. Anything over 6 teaching hours/day is OT.

alwynjo · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Location: Daejeon, South Korea

Yeah we have all been paid for the overtime - and the overtime only includes teaching hours.
Thanks for the website addresses!

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

Keep us informed of what comes of it.

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:22 am Post subject:

My school has tried to hire 2 teachers for th same position in the past week, and both have pulled out after being offered the job. And it's a pretty darned good job (18 hours per wk/2.0 mill/lots of under-the-table vacation).

As of Thursday, they still haven't found a teacher, and are sweating.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

animalbirdfish · Joined: 04 Feb 2004

The school faces two problems when trying to replace the OP. First, if they hire a newbie, they'll have to train them and suffer through the growing pains of someone who probably doesn't know how to teach and is adjusting to Korea. But perhaps the hagwon doesn't care - most don't.

On the other hand, any reputable experienced teacher will probably (or should) ask to speak with previous/current teachers. I doubt the OP will have many kind words to share.

I guess there's the third option, too: hiring an experienced teacher from the Freakiest Wayguk thread - those types can't afford to be too selective.