Raoul Duke
- 2007-11-09
It's the Webolization of the industry in China.
Web International burst onto the scene here with a management concept that is highly profitable and, at least in many of its centers, not especially friendly or beneficial to the teachers. Or, for that matter, the students.
Low salary/hour ratios, minimal benefits, sub-market part time rates, and more are among their many hallmarks.
Because the Web model is so profitable for big important school owner mans, it's being copied like crazy all over the country...just as the Web model itself was largely lifted from earlier, less aggressive chains. And it's taking a lot of the attraction of working here right down the toilet.
professional 'foreign face'
- 2007-11-04
The downward trends original poster Raoul Duke describes as happening down in Suzhou, is also happening here in Nanjing. Training schools that paid 150RMB per hour to expereinced part-timer teachers in recent years, are now only agreeing to pay 120 per hour, and of course, no pay for travel time.
Salaries, terms, working conditions, etc. are going south.
This school has been around for a number of years now. It used to be a good place to work...big school, high salaries, good treatment, etc. It charges students and clients among the very highest rates in town.
Over time its position has been eroded on all counts. Salaries seem to have slipped. Some full-time teachers report that they've gone from lots of overtime, to not even filling their base contract hours...because there aren't enough classes anymore.
The big problem here, though, seems to be an inability to follow up on promises.
I was told I'd receive 150 RMB per hour to work there part-time. When payday rolled around, though, I was assured it was only 120, and that they would never agree to 150 for anyone.
I knew better, but I took what I could get and got the hell out.
Friends of mine working full-time there were put into corporate classes in far-flung factories (with a 45-90 minute commute each way), and solemnly promised they would receive pay for the travel time. When payday came around, guess what...the teachers were told that Westbourne never pays for travel time; these guys were shorted a very substantial amount on their monthly pay.
Another teacher was told he'd be paid 3 hours' worth to do a 3-hour "movie class". When pay time came, he was only paid for 2 hours "because he enjoyed himself watching the movie."
There are more such stories out of this school. Westbourne has developed a nasty record of dishonest teacher treatment.
Do yourself a favor: don't go there.
