In early February of this year a foreigner accepted a post at a key public high school of a small city. Before arriving there he had been astute enough to insist on a stamped contract via the Internet. That contract specified the teaching load and salary, 20-25 classes a week, no more, no less, for 7000 RMB a month, but only the starting date was mentioned, as opposed to the duration of the teaching, though 10 months had been specified orally.

But upon his arrival he was asked to help them out by teaching 32 classes a week, supposedly only for a few days. He kindly agreed. Soon after he started his teaching, his fourth lesson was assessed by the dean of the English department, who subsequently told him she was satisfied with it. His heavy schedule went on in excess of 3 weeks,but still no contract was offered to him.

He smelt a rat before the start of his 3rd week there. So he stuck his neck out to insist on a contract. But the salary that was offered to him in it was only 6000 RMB a month for 32 lessons a week, later to be reduced to 5000 RMB for 25. So he refused to sign it, explaining why to the clerkess who had offered him it. She said that the salary specified in his e-mail contract was significantly higher than what was offered on the 'real' one because the school was desperate for an FT at that time, as it was two FT's short. The FT thought this was clearly an unacceptable excuse, and still refused to sign. Next the dean tried to bully him to sign, and was visibly angry when he still wouldn't.

The FT threatened to strike, at which point the dean changed her tune. But he was told he'd have to wait for a few days for the 'new' contract to be typed, and not to divulge his salary to his fellow FT.Just then he gave the school an ultimatum for his new contract to appear, after which he said would go on strike. But no contract was offered by the time the deadline had arrived. So he went on strike, missing 3 classes on a Thursday afternoon, followed by 9 on the Friday. And he told them he wouldn't leave for good until he was paid in full according to the terms of the original e-mail contract for the teaching he had already done. He got the money owed to him in full,and an inventory of his apartment was made to check he had not broken or stolen anything.

But what the school was unaware of was that he had already fixed up another position at a college in another province via the Internet through a recruiter.
At about 4 pm on that Friday afternoon he was sitting in his apartment next to his packed luggage ready to leave the following day after a good night's sleep when there was a knock at the door. A school leader and a teacher visited him to offer him a fair contract, and begged him to stay for the sake of the pupils! The FT did them a huge favour. He stayed, but only for the money! He was under no illusions what they really thought of him, so he couldn't be duped easily from then on. He'll say 'see you never' by the end of July. At present he's teaching 16 lessons a week for 4500 RMB a month,7 classes each Friday, which suits him very much. But the school will find it very difficult to get a replacement for him this semester on that basis, and the other two FT's are already burdened with 25 and 23 classes a week, also with heavy teaching loads on Fridays. But 16 wouldn't suit them as they like to be busy, yet not too busy. In fact, he's unintentionally done them a favour.

Scallywag employers like that school certainly do not need another weapon in their armoury such as probationary periods, which they would surely fall back on to pay less or to dispense with an FT they want rid of fast!

Generally speaking, Chinese employers haven't earned the right to be given this stick to beat their FT's with, given their apalling track record in EFL.

In any case, there is already a clause in the standard contact whereby an FT who is seen to be teaching badly will have his shortcomings pointed out to him, and be asked to improve his teaching, to be re-assessed a week or so later, at which time he can be fired on the spot if he is still teaching badly.