Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

I sent the new association for teachers of English in Korea a congratulatory email and offered my support.

I just received this reply:

Dear Enquirer,

Firstly, apologies for having to send out this bulk email as your first response from us. We have received so many positive and supportive responses that it will take us a couple of days to get back to you all personally. This is why it is crucial that we build our volunteer capacity as soon as possible!

For those of you who would like further information about the organization, this information is currently being readied and will include further information about our basic goals and objectives, as well as an outline for a draft constitution. Please feel free to comment on and make suggestions for it at will. If you have suggestions in advance, please post them on the discussion board.

Initially, membership is open and free to all. Please encourage your coworkers and friends to visit the site and sign up. This is the most important thing for us now - establishing a strong membership base around the country. Once we are at functioning capacity we will hold a public meeting to determine how much we will need to charge for a one-off joining fee (which will apply to all members, including those who are already nominally a part of the organization). There will also be a subscription fee to be paid monthly by members. We imagine these will be kept insignificantly low and be affordable for all teachers. If we are able to secure funding from a government organization, these monthly fees may even be able to be waived. Please be aware that we are not looking for any form of corporate sponsorship as we do not want private interests to have influence over the organization.

For those of you who have applied for specific positions, please be aware that these positions are entirely voluntary and unpaid, and may require a large commitment of time and work on your part. If you accept responsibilities within the organization, you may be able to secure a long-standing position by being elected at the first general meeting, but initially your role will be nominal (please be aware that this applies to all, including those of us already doing the hard yards). Please do not be deterred - we want as much help as we can get and will not turn down anyone who is able to help.

As far as establishing regional offices/branches/chapters is concerned, we hope to have representatives in all parts of the country from the start. There will be a meeting in Seoul in the future, but please do not feel that we are ignoring or neglecting the other regions. We will attempt to hold regional meetings soon after, numbers permitting.

As a final note I would like to say that forming an association is completely legal and should in no way put you in harms way with your employer. We have spoken with a legal attorney who specializes in labor law and can assure you that it is completely within your rights to do so. Having said that, many employers may not like your decision to join. We are unable to access your situation and must leave this up to you. Please read your contract carefully. If you are still unsure, please direct your enquiry to the free legal resources available to you (please see the ESL Law link on the ATEK website).

Again, thank you for you positive response!!!!!!!!

Regards,

Tom Rainey-Smith
Association for Teachers of English in Korea