gungchang wrote:I'd love to hear if this has been tried in the past, and how it went.
The only mandatory unions I can think of are the AMA and the ABA. I fear that a teacher union would carry a load of parasites.
Also, I suspect that some Thais hold their pets in higher esteem than non-Thais and don't see farang working conditions not suitable for their pets as a problem.
Severance pay might be the first issue addressed. It would be nice to people start to receive it, but more likely we'll see one year contracts, "resignations," and maybe more one year contracts. Revolving door teachers could skyrocket.
I like the idea of a union and I hope it happens and I hope it works. But, I think we need to be aware that our actions will have consequences, and that they may not be the consequences we foresee and desire.
Thanks a lot, a great post and some good thoughts. You're right about the fact that everything we foreigners are doing here will have consequences, but I believe that something has to be done.
Here's only one example why I believe that it's time for a change: There's a high school in xxxc province who's always been using an agency.
Ten years ago, it was a different agency and a fair deal to work there, but times are changing in a way that teachers are making a lot less than they did before. Ten years ago, an employee who's working for agency X in 2008 received an annual salary of
370,000 baht, after one year a monthly pay raise of 1,650 baht.
In 2017 and with another agency, let's call them XYZ, the employee has an annual income of exactly
279,000 baht, the 2 K bonus is only paid after a full academic year. And only if the school continues the second term contract.
That would be additional 18 K, but it's in no way comparable to the much higher salary ten years ago because everything has gotten very expensive.
A small shoebox house 10 year ago was 2,300 baht, the same shoe box now is around 4 K.
Back in the old days, people who worked for this agency at least had an accident insurance. People who've got the bad luck to have signed a contract have nothing. And to make it crueler, they don't get paid when they're sick. Catch 22?
To undermine that with numbers, ten years ago the agency paid each teacher 35 K, 5 K was for housing. The other agency now is so brutal and only pays nine months of the year. There's no more 10 K for November and no 10 K for April.
A dry period without salary of three months from 5th of March until the 5th of June, plus one more month without any payment makes working there to a nightmare/
Many teachers the agency is employing do not have a BA or a higher degree. It seems to attract those who're living here for a long time and those who want to stay with their loved ones.But they treat them in a way that's not human. Most pets are treated better, even in Thailand.
Of course, will those with a degree find another position before the second term starts, but the un-degreed employees have no other choice? It's pretty much common to protect the employees by giving them a different title and they can get a work permit being a trainer, a teacher's assistant, or a Curriculum developer.
But a work permit might also be not in their interest because they don't want to pay for. If the Immigration will show up, these teachers without work permits will be arrested and deported. I'm sure that the agency knows that, but they obviously don't care.
The irony is that these people are working to be with their loved ones, but that would dramatically change when they get deported.
I think that many of these teachers do not have a degree which might also be the reason that they treat their employees so badly.
The teaching load is the only thing that skyrocketed from 16 hours ten years ago to 20, plus a lot more extracurricular work which is really time-consuming.
If a teacher's sick on a Friday, or a Monday, they deduct also the weekend that was before or after the day of absence. If there's a natural disaster, for example, a flood and the school's closed for a few days or weeks, no pay.
In addition, the agency lets their employees sign a contract in English, after a few weeks they have to sign another one in Thai. But nobody receives a copy of this contract that's being used to apply for a work permit and visa.
.
Would there be something similar to a teacher's Union, I have my doubts that such agencies could do what they want with their employees.
I didn't mean to create a Union that's only fighting for money. It should be an institution that's well known and liked by the Thai authorities.
This Union should be well connected to the Khurusapha, or the whole body of the Ministry of Education in the capital city. Only a dream? Perhaps.
Home
