Hi Trevor,I'm sorry to hear that you've had the unfortunate experience of having dealt with a greedy recruiter,be he Chinese or otherwise.Even so,we shouldn't tar all recruiters with the same brush.
As for your impication that they are superfluous,I'd have to disagree with you.They DO have their uses.Just suppose an FT died on the job in China.Given the red tape and beaurocracy that entails getting a replacement from the West,I say from there,as most foreigners in China are already in employment here,an agency can provide a replacement much faster than a local employer can find one,generally speaking.
So,agencies have their place.The problem is that many are
dishonest,profiting at the expense of foreigners.My advice re foreigners going through agencies for teaching posts in China is to avoid the big boys.You can get a much better service from small agencies that are less inclined to cheat foreigners.another point worth noting is that small agents tend to be aware of the workplace situation at particular schools and colleges.So,they'll do their best to avoid placing a square peg in a round hole whenever they place their foreign clients - a good thing in the long run for returning clients and their profits!I almost always use an agent.He negotiates on my behalf with the employer re my salary etc.I don't want to lower myself to the level of bargaining in my pursuit for a teaching job.Where I'm from,that's NOT the culture,and I cannot change in this respect!So,I let the agent do the dirty work on my behalf in that respect!by the way, make that aschbool incorporate an arbitration clause in your contract.if the director refuses to do so,run a mile and look elsewhere for a job - plenty out there for experienced EFL teacheras like you.