Is This Unfair?
-
Well, I am writing in here bcos I am not sure if I should be feeling this way for the right reason...
Here's the story: I am a full time teacher based in a private learning center, and my salary is quite high compared to the others in the company (but I think it is considered low compared to wat others can get in other companies). I am assigned a number of classes to teach every week, and I handle around 15 to 20 students every week (I have my own class, and the number stays fixed until the next intake in March). Currently I am handling two main courses for the company, and I teach 3 hours for 3 days in a week and 6 hours for the other three days (but I have to stay in the office for the remaining 3 hours). The remaining hours, when I first signed the work agreement, they told me are for me to prepare for my lessons. So that's fine with me.
But recently they have been asking me to take over some other teachers' classes...whenever they go on leave, I will have to take over their classes even though their lessons have nothing to do at all with the classes I have to teach. So it is like I have to make extra preparation to deal with the extra classes they assign to me. So if some part-timers take time off for a week, me and another full timer had to handle all their classes...so means extra 4 classes per week, so now it wud be like teaching 6 hours for 4 or 5 days...
So I am starting to feel like this is unfair, especially my own course that I am supposed to handle need a lot of preparation. I cant prepare when I am in the classroom teaching another class which I am not supposed to handle. I brought this matter up before to my superior, and he said he wud not ask me to take up any of these classes anymore, but after that he just asked the admin to give them to me and I had to accept them, bcos how to go against the boss?
And next week seems like there is a convention in my company, and everyone is heading to that (even some part-timers) but me and another full time teacher had to stay back to handle the whole center. They are asking to take over some other teachers' classes again and also asked if I can handle the admin table they will be gone. So I am thinking that it is kinda unfair they are dumping all these kinda things on me. Or is it really unfair? Maybe they think that I am one of the highly paid so I have to do much more work? -
It could be for various possible reasons that they're doing the things they're doing...
How long have you been in this job? How is your term with your boss? since when you've been treated like that?
Try talking to your superior again about it? Do you have avenues of working elsewhere or even thought of so?
Make them understand once again that it would affect your teaching of your own classes, and you would not be responsible for the consequences..? -
New birds always get bullied n exploited.
-
i have been here for nearly 6 months now...my boss has been away in china for a month now, so i havent had contact with him for the past month...Originally posted by Devil1976:It could be for various possible reasons that they're doing the things they're doing...
How long have you been in this job? How is your term with your boss? since when you've been treated like that?
Try talking to your superior again about it? Do you have avenues of working elsewhere or even thought of so?
Make them understand once again that it would affect your teaching of your own classes, and you would not be responsible for the consequences..?
been treated like that since a few months back...but seems like it is getting worse...
I cant work elsewhere until the end of march...and then again I also feel bad if I left suddenly, cos it will really affect my students since their exams are coming and i have to help them to prepare... -
haiz...i tot i m a full timer liao, so shud get more priviledge compared to the part-timers...Originally posted by Gackt247:New birds always get bullied n exploited. -
x2.Originally posted by Gackt247:New birds always get bullied n exploited. -
You can stay and try to see if your luck gets any better with time..? Else you can always choose to work elsewhere by end of March if things become too extreme for you to handle...?Originally posted by rainee:i have been here for nearly 6 months now...my boss has been away in china for a month now, so i havent had contact with him for the past month...
been treated like that since a few months back...but seems like it is getting worse...
I cant work elsewhere until the end of march...and then again I also feel bad if I left suddenly, cos it will really affect my students since their exams are coming and i have to help them to prepare...
But I agree with the other forumites about the 'newbies' thingy.. Why not just stay around for a while and observe the trend for yourself...? Alternatively do you have any close colleague you can trust and get along pretty well with over there...? Someone who has at least been with the company for a while...? Ask her / him /them for feedback regarding your issues of concern...? -
Originally posted by rainee:
Looks like you are taking on a lot of tasks. Perhaps your boss thinks you're the capable one and loads you with more responsibility.
i have been here for nearly 6 months now...my boss has been away in china for a month now, so i havent had contact with him for the past month...
been treated like that since a few months back...but seems like it is getting worse...
I cant work elsewhere until the end of march...and then again I also feel bad if I left suddenly, cos it will really affect my students since their exams are coming and i have to help them to prepare...
Perhaps what you could do is feedback to the boss from a management perspective that the workload is too much for just two full-timers to handle. Suggest that he needs better management of staff manpower... and he should make you the manager. :p -
I have asked my other colleagues before, but not many of them which I can really trust...bcos well dats the rule in an office aint it? Trust no one except urselfOriginally posted by Devil1976:You can stay and try to see if your luck gets any better with time..? Else you can always choose to work elsewhere by end of March if things become too extreme for you to handle...?
But I agree with the other forumites about the 'newbies' thingy.. Why not just stay around for a while and observe the trend for yourself...? Alternatively do you have any close colleague you can trust and get along pretty well with over there...? Someone who has at least been with the company for a while...? Ask her / him /them for feedback regarding your issues of concern...?
Previously before she got terminated, an older colleague told me that the management here is really bad, as in they gave more priviledge to the sales staff and kinda neglected the teachers...some teachers need to teach long hours w/o breaks and also cannot go on leave if you cannot find a sub...but then I am not sure whether she was exaggerating cos she has a tendency to make everything more dramatic than it is...
But another staff also told me that the management here lacks a lot of things... -
Originally posted by Lancism:
haha yea
Looks like you are taking on a lot of tasks. Perhaps your boss thinks you're the capable one and loads you with more responsibility.
Perhaps what you could do is feedback to the boss from a [b]management perspective that the workload is too much for just two full-timers to handle. Suggest that he needs better management of staff manpower... and he should make you the manager. :p
[/b]
well even if i m capable i shud be putting all my abilities into preparing for my own lessons...since they want me to make these two courses a success...i oso need time to think of ways to make my students succeed..and trust me, it was not easy "grooming" my students to the stage they are now from the level they were before... -
Well thats the culture of small local companies...
Actually, work is shitty everywhere and what is most important beside
pay is your boss and colleague.
So if you think you can get along with them well and boss is some what ok..
then you can try stay and see if changes for the better
Otherwise, you can hang on and try find another job..
Good luck and cheers -
How long is the convention?
If it's like a week, ask boss to get part-time receptionist because you and colleague are too busy covering classes. If it's for like 2 days, then I think just do your best lah.
As for covering other classes, I think it comes with the job - teachers need to cover for each other because you can't find suitable part-time substitutes at short notice. The issue is how good terms the teachers are with each other so that they don't resent helping out; everyone hates a colleague who always goes on leave/ MC. Of course it's up to the boss to manage his staff well & keep absentee rate down. -
I think it's a management problem and work in being unfairly distributed.
Is it contractually agreed that you only teach a certain amount of hours? If so, you should highlight this.
Are the part-timers supposed to cover the absent teachers?
Is there proper planning for manpower? Or are these arrangements made haphazardly and on a personal level?
Why should part-timers go to the convention? I don't understand that.
I can only guess that part-timers are paid by the hour. So they exploit full-timers with fixed pay. -
last time they told me i only need to teach those fixed hours, but it was not stated in my contract....Originally posted by sillyme:I think it's a management problem and work in being unfairly distributed.
Is it contractually agreed that you only teach a certain amount of hours? If so, you should highlight this.
Are the part-timers supposed to cover the absent teachers?
Is there proper planning for manpower? Or are these arrangements made haphazardly and on a personal level?
Why should part-timers go to the convention? I don't understand that.
I can only guess that part-timers are paid by the hour. So they exploit full-timers with fixed pay.
part-timers are supposed to cover for absent teachers, but it is not compulsory. And also most of them have their own jobs, so they cannot make it during the day time to come and take over the classes...
Usually when they need someone to cover they just come and tell me like just a few days beforehand, got one time they told me on the day itself and i flared up, after that they let me know at least 2 or 3 days before...
I also dun understand why part timers need to go...and yea they are paid hourly... -
convention is 2 day...but if this is the only time they asked me to cover for someone else's duty then it will be okie, but it seems like the more i agree they more they keep doing it, and the more frequent it gets...Originally posted by choco B:How long is the convention?
If it's like a week, ask boss to get part-time receptionist because you and colleague are too busy covering classes. If it's for like 2 days, then I think just do your best lah.
As for covering other classes, I think it comes with the job - teachers need to cover for each other because you can't find suitable part-time substitutes at short notice. The issue is how good terms the teachers are with each other so that they don't resent helping out; everyone hates a colleague who always goes on leave/ MC. Of course it's up to the boss to manage his staff well & keep absentee rate down.
I am okie with the other teachers, but one of them are allowed to go on long leave whenever he likes it, like he can just take one week leave at a very short notice...while if i go on a few days leave, there is no one i can get to take over my class...so basically i cannot fall sick and cannot take too many days of leave... -
cannot be lah, why got ppl to cover them and nobody to cover you? must buy them coffee
-
If they ask you to cover during your contracted working hours then they have a right to. If you are suppose to work 44 hours per week, then you have to work 44 hours per week. If you are contracted to work 8am-5 then you have to work 8am-5pmOriginally posted by rainee:convention is 2 day...but if this is the only time they asked me to cover for someone else's duty then it will be okie, but it seems like the more i agree they more they keep doing it, and the more frequent it gets...
I am okie with the other teachers, but one of them are allowed to go on long leave whenever he likes it, like he can just take one week leave at a very short notice...while if i go on a few days leave, there is no one i can get to take over my class...so basically i cannot fall sick and cannot take too many days of leave...
If you do not want to work more than 44 hours or you do not want to work before 8 and after 5, then you do not have to. Just say no. If asked to give a reason, say that it is private matter. Going home to sleep is a private matter as well. -
it is cos my dept is new, and i m the only teacher teaching the courses now...the other teachers all dunno how to teach my course de...Originally posted by sillyme:cannot be lah, why got ppl to cover them and nobody to cover you? must buy them coffee -
yea, but not like i didnt stay in the office...i had to be there from 9 to 630 n last time they told me if i dun have classes during that time, i have to use the time to prepare materials for the next lesson...wich is sth i have always done...Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:If they ask you to cover during your contracted working hours then they have a right to. If you are suppose to work 44 hours per week, then you have to work 44 hours per week. If you are contracted to work 8am-5 then you have to work 8am-5pm
If you do not want to work more than 44 hours or you do not want to work before 8 and after 5, then you do not have to. Just say no. If asked to give a reason, say that it is private matter. Going home to sleep is a private matter as well. -
since u are the one and only in the office thraten to leave lah.Originally posted by rainee:it is cos my dept is new, and i m the only teacher teaching the courses now...the other teachers all dunno how to teach my course de... just kidding. i dun want yr student to come and kill me -
There are so many ways to view your problem and it's fine when viewed from 1 angle but lousy from another.......
I wouldn't bother with the concept of ffair/unfair. To be tasked with more work means recognition of one's capacity. While some will moan, I'll rejoice coz if I show that i can handle additional tasks well, it will show my competence. Over time, I should be looking towards an upward pay adjustment.......
At the ends of the day, whether I'm happy with the way I live my life is the only issue that matters........
-
Honestly, nothing is fair. It is just a matter of whether you would like to take the job as a package.
-
I suggest u start imposing urself to ur colleagues n if opportunity allows, ur boss. Cant stay meek n get explioted forever rite.Originally posted by rainee:haiz...i tot i m a full timer liao, so shud get more priviledge compared to the part-timers... -
If your skill is unique in the organisation, that's your leverage.
Maybe you should look for another place in your free time too.. -
I agree with the bdae boi.Originally posted by LazerLordz:If your skill is unique in the organisation, that's your leverage.
Maybe you should look for another place in your free time too..
Plus u already said u are paid comparatively less in ur company. Other pastures are greener isnt it?