General Contracts: they are there to be breached and ignored?!?

My last paycheck was 4,000 Baht too low. The school has the power and it does as it pleases. For weeks, I have been waiting for a reference. The school has an e-mail address and a SASE. And all it takes is make some secretary scan the reference and attach it to e-mail and then put it in the SASE (self addressed stamped envelope). The contract has a clause about a performance review etc. Likewise, the school's part was to take care of the WP. By not doing that, the school has forced me to pay for Visa extensions (twice with a T-Visa). The second time, they could or should have arrested and deported me - - - Every Visa run costs time and money and it's always disruptive! A school who has a functioning administration can prepare the paperwork for a B-Visa in half an hour. And the WP process is tedious but not that complicated. And now my question: If your boss is well connected, would you just take it and move on or would you fight? In an ideal world, there will be justice and I heard good things about the Labour Court. OTOH, this might very well end one's career over here. Or worse. As there are certain realities, like them or not. The Russian lawyer who exposed the biggest tax fraud ever in that country was jailed and killed in prison pdq and not handed some medal of honor. The way some school handle the remuneration of teachers is astonishing. Seems someone benefits when a teacher's salary gets reduced. ... The ugly reality of financial irregularities by schools: is that something we should get used to? I would happily start contributing to some teachers' fund or buy group legal insurance. It's time to push back and once school notice that their schemes might backfire, maybe they will tone it down and stop such games? After the October holidays, the school tried to pay nothing, nada. The contract says X months times xx,000 Baht. Then they offered "half" the salary. But paid all - only a few days late. When the boss likes someone, Visa extension fees will be reimbursed and personal days will be granted. "HR? That's me" - Anything goes. Personal attacks don't really address the issue here. Saying "this is just your problem" or "talk to Chuck S" just shows the need for some to feel superior than others. Is it time to hold, to fold or to walk away? Mel

Depends how you feel fight or walk

Op, what is your specific grievance with the school? You say they paid you (late), so what is the issue? The labour courts do not deal with any issues relating to immigration matters. So, what is the specific issue you have? Is it just the 4000 baht missing in your last pay cheque? If so, what reason did the school give to you for the missing 4000b?

Geez Eumel...you've got 30 thread starts and 13 of them are complaints of one sort or another about schools you're working in or have worked in... maybe the problems you're experiencing are not completely the fault of the schools you work for...ever looked at it from that perspective? Teaching in Thailand isn't for everyone you know...

I reckon it is a Chucky sock...

Contracts in Thailand - they are valid when they are useful to Thais; they mean nothing when they prove that Thais are in the wrong.

If I were you I'd keep my head down and just get out of there. Take your lesson plans and a few board markers with ya if it makes you feel better. Fighting a war over 4k thb and some past grievances is only going to put more stress in your life and potentially reduce your employability or ability to stay in Thailand.

Quote Originally Posted by Fleabag View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored.html#post1660112) reduce your employability or ability to stay in Thailand. Not such a downside in this case I expect...

Eumel. alot your threads have a angry tone against your employers in them. I'm wondering if you go to work with that tone and if maybe its the source of your troubles. How long have you been in Thailand and how often have you switched jobs.And when you change jobs is it because of a falling out? If you're expecting Thais to honor and interpret a contract the way falangs do you're just banging your head against the wall and thats where your frustration is coming from. I'm thinking you're in Thailand applying a good falang work ethic and your higher ups aren't seeing and it's pissing you off. If you haven't adjusted to the slack ass ways of Thai professionalism by now then you need to consider another option. Cuz your next school is gonna operate pretty much the same way. Another thing to consider; it would be a very Thai thing to do instead of outright firing you to just jerk you around until you leave on your own.Which is what I'm guessing is going on here.

Quote Originally Posted by yoots View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored.html#post1660090) Contracts in Thailand - they are valid when they are useful to Thais; they mean nothing when they prove that Thais are in the wrong. That's stereotypical, cynical and vaguely racist bullshit. I've had good (and bad) experiences with contracts of various types, same as I've had in the U.K. - bad form with honouring agreements is in no way limited to Thai people. I used a contract in the past to prove to a former Thai landlord that I paid for a couple of the appliances in my flat (he thought that they were there when I arrived); he immediately apologised for ever questioning me, returned my full deposit and threw in a good word for me at my next place with a decent paper reference to boot. I've had landlords in Wales who might as well have used my contract to wipe their arses on and I've had jobs cancelled with significantly less notice than should have been given, in Somerset and Surat Thani. I also found in Surat Thani an employer who not only honoured the stipulated pay rise in my contract, but actually gave me a little more for good performance. And it works both ways - just last week members of this forum were advising a teacher to accept a new contract and then walk out on it when a better job he was hoping for came along. Think before you open your mouth. Quote Originally Posted by fred flintstone View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored.html#post1660172) Another thing to consider; it would be a very Thai thing to do instead of outright firing you to just jerk you around until you leave on your own. Again, I'm not sure that it's just a 'Thai thing' - it's an arsehole employer all over the world thing. If this were a forum for supermarket shelf stackers, I'm sure we'd all be complaining just the same, labelling all department managers as feckless and uncaring. Some employers in schools are going to be just as ethical and hard working as we all may (or may not) be and some, obviously, are going to be useless.

Rob...it's a forum about Thailand... FFS...do we really need to preface each statement with ...I know this happens all over the world but...[image: http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/images/smilies/smilie_yellow_icon_rolleyes.gif]

Hang on a minute, a balanced view? Surely that's off-topic or bannable or something.

Quote Originally Posted by RobJWhite View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored.html#post1660292) - it's an arsehole employer all over the world thing. the asshole employers I had back in falang land would say something like ,'don't bother coming in tomorrow' and give me what $$ I had coming to me. Thai culture is about avoiding confrontation

Quote Originally Posted by Fleabag View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored.html#post1660112) Fighting a war over 4k thb and some past grievances is only going to put more stress in your life and potentially reduce your employability or ability to stay in Thailand. e'en don fookin' Quixote would not bother... save your energy for the giants, you'll need it.

Quote Originally Posted by RobJWhite View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored.html#post1660292) Originally Posted by yoots Contracts in Thailand - they are valid when they are useful to Thais; they mean nothing when they prove that Thais are in the wrong. That's stereotypical, cynical and vaguely racist bullshit. That's my experience after having lived here for more than ten years. You can call it what you want.

Quote Originally Posted by Thaitanium View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored-post1660331.html#post1660331) Rob...it's a forum about Thailand... FFS...do we really need to preface each statement with ...I know this happens all over the world but... In what way does it being a forum about Thailand mean that it's alright to tar every Thai employer in the country with the same brush? You're misconstruing my point, whether on purpose or not. Quote Originally Posted by fred flintstone View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored-post1660339.html#post1660339) Thai culture is about avoiding confrontation I'd agree with that for the most part, but 'avoiding confrontation' and 'jerking you about' aren't necessarily synonymous [image: http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/images/smilies/tounge.gif] Quote Originally Posted by yoots View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored-post1660357.html#post1660357) That's my experience after having lived here for more than ten years. You can call it what you want. I already did. You quoted it. I could quote it again if you like? Quote Originally Posted by RobJWhite View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored-post1660292.html#post1660292) That's stereotypical, cynical and vaguely racist bullshit. [image: http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/images/smilies/adrian.gif] Quote Originally Posted by Fleabag View Post (http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/66521-contracts-they-are-there-to-be-breached-and-ignored-post1660337.html#post1660337) Hang on a minute, a balanced view? Surely that's off-topic or bannable or something. I'm infracting myself for it as we speak. [image: http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/images/smilies/grin.gif]