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GEPIK PS offering pay cut with renewal

 
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isitts



Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:02 pm    Post subject: GEPIK PS offering pay cut with renewal Reply with quote

My GEPIK PS is funded by city hall. I was told by my co-teacher yesterday that the school had received their budget information and, at first, said that they only have enough to keep me at the same pay (and not be given the raise that is stated in the contract) should I renew. Then after crunching numbers again said that they couldn't even keep me at the same pay, and that I'd have to go down a level if I wanted to stay at the school.�

I'm not sure if they are legitimately constrained to work with whatever city hall gives them or if someone in the financial office didn't submit a proper budget proposal to city hall. If the latter, this is the second time there's been a budget mishap at my school. (I'd posted before on how they were late on my first paycheck. http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=218224&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight= )

There was some apprehension when I was getting hired that I might be too expensive for them. They were hoping for no more than a Level 2+ and were perhaps pushing it to hire me as a Level 1.�

As a matter of principle, �I would just assume leave the school as they are unable to fulfill the terms of the contract. But because of the stipulations of the GEPIK pay scale, I'm not doing much better to transfer schools because no raise is given for a transfer. I'd make the same as what I'm making now.

If I stay with the school, my co-teacher is suggesting opening some elective classes (which would be funded by the students...or rather, their parents). It's not a raise, but it could offset the pay cut and give me roughly the same monthly pay as transferring to another school (and without the costs of relocating myself).�

But then, what happens the next year when they can't give me a raise again? ...and have to transfer as a Level 2+ instead of a 1 or 1+. What sucks is that I already was a 1+ last July when I finished my last school under the old pay scale.�

I don't have a problem with salary caps but when the scale claims to offer salaries up to 2.7 mil, then it gets a little asinine when you put in your time but can't make your way up the ladder.

But I know, times are tough. I think I'm lucky to be in a GEPIK school (in Bucheon). Before my principal picked me up, I was on course with EPIK to be placed in a school way out �in the sticks. But with SMOE making its cuts and GEPIK not being nearly as strong as it was before...may not be quite the blessing I thought.

Anyway, sorry for writing a novel. Just wondering what any of you thought and/or what you would do if you were in my shoes.
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NYC_Gal 2.0



Joined: 10 Dec 2010

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd go to a new school and get the same pay. It's better than a cut, unless you really like your school. Perhaps the new school would be able to give you the raise the next year. Another option would be moving to a university or good hagwon. Good hagwons tend to pay more, and good universities have long vacations (and possibly higher pay, though not always.)
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iggyb



Joined: 29 Oct 2003

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 12:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bad economies and shrinking budgets always put pressure on education.

Starting in 2008, teachers in my state in the US had to deal with changes in their contracts. Some were laid off. Some districts added furlough days.

Maybe in states with strong teacher's unions, pay raises were pushed through, but even in some of them, teachers were let go despite union fights.

If I were promised an automatic raise in my contract, I'd like to see it adhered to, but given what happens back home, I'd just "endure" as the Koreans say - and start checking on possible better deals elsewhere in case I decide to change ships...
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 2:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

transmogrifier wrote:
You sound like someone with Stockholm Syndrome.


Or someone working at a 4-5k rmb (900,000krw) job that takes issue with others not in the same situation.

OP, I remember back a couple of years ago being told by my head CT about the downsizing that is happening now when my contract came up for renewal. Out of the 15 or so in my district wanting to renew at the time only three of us (the 3 either at level A or moving into it) were required to meet with the district supervisor for additional review. We all got renewed at our expected pay grade, but none of us chose to stay simply because of that (ie...the less expensive teachers got renewed automatically while the more experienced ones that did so much for the district were on the chopping block, so to speak, because we were too expensive). It was becoming a dollars and cents thing then, and I can see that it really is now.
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Keeper



Joined: 11 Jun 2012

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 3:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd try to get something extra out of the contract. Tell them you want a few more vacation days.

Tell them it's like losing face if they don't give you something extra.
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Keeper wrote:
I'd try to get something extra out of the contract. Tell them you want a few more vacation days.

Tell them it's like losing face if they don't give you something extra.


How has that worked for you in situations like this?
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isitts



Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your replies, everyone!�

@ NYC Gal, I don't have a Masters so the uni idea is out for me. I'd considered (or am considering) transferring, but with GEPIK in the state it's in these days, just not sure it's a good idea.�

@ iggyb, yeah, kinda what I was thinking. I was only looking to stay in Korea one more year to accomplish some financial goals I have. And crunching some numbers, looks like I could still do it with the pay cut.

@ transmogrifier and byrddogs, thanks for being more understanding of my sentiments. I don't want to be greedy in the current economic climate, but I also don't want to be unnecessarily taken advantage of.�

If my school is working with whatever city hall gives them, then that's fine. But if city hall didn't give enough because my school didn't submit the appropriate budget proposal, then that bothers me. (If they did submit the proper proposal but city hall shot it down, then, again, that's fine.)

But the way my co-teacher is just shrugging this off like I should just accept the pay cut and stay, just seems a little off to me. I mean, why not just tell me they can't afford me and have to let me go? Maybe it's a face saving thing. But again, because of the last budget mishap at the beginning of the year, it seems maybe someone messed up in the financial office.

Anyway, thanks again, you guys!
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YTMND



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

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
But at the same time, I relize that schools simply may not have the funding to keep giving raises. So trying to balance that out, too.


Did you realize they aren't just cutting costs, but they are not hiring new teachers altogether for some positions?

Quote:
Why not? Education is one of those fields where I think people do clearly improve with experience....until they start to fossilize in their methods.


Did you realize they aren't just cutting costs, but they are not hiring new teachers altogether for some positions?

Quote:
You sound like someone with Stockholm Syndrome.

Ok, go to GEPIK, convince them to hire high school and middle school teachers again, and I'll work at one of them. Name your price smarty. Since you know so much about this, change the system.
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NYC_Gal 2.0



Joined: 10 Dec 2010

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know plenty of people without a masters, currently working at universities. You won't get into a SKY school, but there are jobs out there. I'd do it if I hadn't found a nice hagwon. The only thing my place is lacking is the lengthy vacation time, but everything else balances that out.

I would not take the pay cut. If you've been here for a while, you surely have some other options. Best of luck!
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isitts



Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote:
I know plenty of people without a masters, currently working at universities. You won't get into a SKY school, but there are jobs out there. I'd do it if I hadn't found a nice hagwon. The only thing my place is lacking is the lengthy vacation time, but everything else balances that out.

I would not take the pay cut. If you've been here for a while, you surely have some other options. Best of luck!


Fair enough. Thanks, NYC Gal. I've still got about an even six months left of my contract, so there's time to look into my options.
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