Today I lost it a work. Actually, I went off like I have never done so before. I don’t usually swear a lot and especially when the Thai teachers are in my presence. Today I think I said more swear words in a few sentences than I have said in a year.
It wasn’t directed at any of the teachers in the English Bilingual Programme, it was directed at the administrators at the school. It was directed at the bureaucratic pen pushers that have no idea how things are operated or how people work outside of their office.
This is what it was all about.
Each teacher is given a bonus for his loyalty after each year’s service. Mine was due and when I picked it up the other day the first thing I noticed was that there was 6,600 baht too much. So about $220 Aussie dollars had been over paid to me.
Now I am 100%, no actually 150% sure that if I didn’t tell the Head of the EBP about this they would have never known. So after some discussions today they worked out that they had overpaid me and I was happy to return the 6,600 baht.
The problem started when I was told they were also deducting me 667 baht for not signing out one afternoon. Here at my school we have to finger scan in every morning and out in the afternoon.
There are all these rules set out in the guideline for receiving a bonus and if they aren’t met you can have deductions made as a form of punishment. Again this is fair and I agree with this.
In over two years of being at the school I have never had a sick day. Not one. In two years, I have been late for work, maybe 5 times and I have always rang the Head of the Department.
I have always met any deadline for any work that has been setout for me. I do all the idiotic attendance sheets, these things are one of the stupidest forms of paperwork I have ever laid eyes on but I do them and hand them in on the last day of the month each and every month. No other foreigner does this.
I am not blowing smoke out of my own ass, even though it’s a large ass at that, but I work hard and give 110% for my kids. I am not like a lot of teachers who are here in Thailand to just fund their working holiday.
I don’t drink so it’s no late night partying and then turning up the next day smelling like a brewery and unshaved.
Anyway I could go on and on but I won’t. So after 2 years of service and apparently one day of missing signing out from the school they deducted my bonus. I know of other teachers who received full bonuses and have had sick days and also been late to work or other things.
So I went off at the Head of EBP, not at her but just venting my anger through her at the school. She was very taken back and went and phoned the Administration fools and had the 667 baht deduction waived. The money is nothing. The money has nothing to do with it; it’s a piss in the ocean. It’s the principal of looking after the people who do the right thing for your company or business. This they haven’t seemed to grasp.
I will pay the 667 baht back plus the 6,600 that was over paid tomorrow and I told the Head of EBP it will be in an envelope and thrown at the man who foolishly made this decision (this is very rude in Thailand).
I informed my boss to not ask me to do one thing for the school that isn’t in my contract. I will not lift a single finger to help with anything again. No judging competitions, covering classes, changing timetables when special visitors come and so forth.
The upcoming Christmas party that is put on by the school, I will not attend as I would be tempted to drink and then belt some fool. I am that pissed off with the idiots that I am thinking of drinking and hitting someone. Arrghhh.
To any of the teachers who read this post and complain, get a life and if you have something to say, then come and do it to my face and don’t be piss weak weasels running around bitching and moaning about what I have written.
Brunty. An angry man tonight.
6 comments:
Breathe deeply, Brunty! Sympathies to you on this. It is annoying when employers mess us around over money. Especially when some people are treated differently to others. I mean, we're working for the money at the end the day, aren't we?
It always baffled me how we had to wait often because the head of the school wasn't around and hadn't bothered to sign the necessary paperwork for the teachers to get paid. That's insulting!
My advice (for what it's worth) is to try to stay cool and don't do anything else more inflammatory for now. Things are best dealt with when the mind is calm and able to reason properly. (Not always easy to do, of course - I know all about that!)
Anyway, I'll probably pop in later this week to say, "Hi" to everyone. I understand that Ryan has left. I thought he might - but not that quickly!
Be well, mate:
Gary
I'm with you on this one Jason - you know they screwed me too! At least I'm leaving next year, somehow that makes it all seem better - there's light at the end of the tunnel...
Hey Gary and Rachel.
Gary I am trying not to get too riled up over the situation, but it’s hard. I am just angry that people who push pens and don’t know how hard some people work in the real environment of teaching.
I know of past teachers who would have breached many of the ‘rules’ set out for receiving the bonus and they didn’t have theirs deducted or there might have been a minuscule amount.
As for teachers having to wait for a certain person to sign checks is really ridiculous.
I have calmed down but I will not do anything outside of what my contract requires me to do. As for the coming Christmas party they can jam it as far in the ass as it will fit. They have lost a hard and dedicated teacher for all the superficial things. I will still give 110% for my kids but or the school not a thing.
Rachel. Yes, you have been totally screwed. The hard work that you do at the kindergarten goes unappreciated by people who are pushing pens and don’t have a clue about how the ‘real part of the school runs’. I cannot think of a time you have walked into the school late in the morning. You have ridden you push bike in rain, wind and sunshine. You have worked Saturdays and gone on excursions that weren’t apart of your contract agreement.
So, yes. You have been screwed sadly. You didn’t deserve it.
Like you said, at least you will be leaving next year and will get happily married and start on a new journey of life. Find a new job that will pay 15K more than now and hopefully conditions will be improved as well.
My fingers are crossed for you.
Brunty, it was bound to happen sometime. perhaps being a a**hole farang has its advantages sometimes because clearly those farang teachers who are getting away with shite are doing so because the Thais in authority are not willing to risk a confrontation over small infractions. but you are "gui gui" as we say in Chinese, which means "well behaved" so they don't have that fear of the confrontation when dealing with you.
MJ. I have always conformed you could say to what the school as has asked of me. I always stand up and speak out if I think something is stupid or could be done a better way but avoid unnecessary conflict when I can.
The other day was the first time I had really gone off and said my two and a half bobs worth. My poor Thai boss was speechless and didn’t know what to say.
If I had done the wrong thing I would have no qualms about having a deduction in my bonus, but when I know 110% of how hard I have worked for the school and they bite my hand, I get pissed off.
All they have done is alienated a teacher who will give 110% for his kids and nothing now for the school. They are in my black book forever.
btw, does anyone in authority read your blog? here in Taiwan, a famous blogger was threated by his university with a lawsuit. the laws are different here, and ambiguous enough to allow people to sue someone for telling the truth, even.
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