salary opinions

[slainte]

Very long story short...This is my ninth year working for a private high school which is basically going down the tubes. I was happy enough with my pay as native teacher supervisor, which was 360,000. However, I took maternity leave and when I came back I was forced to accept a salary of 306,000 because my classes were reduced. I tried to fight it because it wasn't that the classes weren't available, but that they wanted a male to take over my position since they didn't want me to inconvenience them again by getting pregnant. The guy they were depending on was a real prick, constant complaints from students, misplacing exams etc so I figured that I just had to bide my time and then from the next year I would be back in the saddle....WRONG!! I was offered 9 classes and he was offered 17!! Well he ended up screwing them over and leaving so I got the classes in the end but no payment for looking after the new guy that started. I fought this and got some extra in my pay afetr involving the union. The new guy is not a native speaker and has difficulty understanding my explanations but hounds me all day long..VP etc are aware of the problems but offered him a contract again. I will not be getting any extra for babysitting but I did get the four day week I wanted... Bottom line is 252,000 for four days. I feel totally undervalued but the school just keeps saying they have no money..Would you do it?? I am only considering it because I want to take maternity leave again..

[Morton]

Sometimes you just have to have a bit of pride and say stuff it. Too many foreigners here, out of desperation probably, settle for way less than they should.

After 9 years do you have permanent residency? If you do my number one rule for English teachers here is never, ever, ever work for another school (eikaiwa or JHS/SHS). University is a maybe but becoming less so. You have to look out for yourself here and you can also make more money privately.


So I think you should just quit. Obviously you should have some plans for an income first though.

[Glenski]

I got the classes in the end but no payment for looking after the new guy that started.

So, you're teaching 17 classes now for far less pay than they offered you (306,000 vs. 252,000)? This doesn't make sense mathematically, especially since you say "I fought this and got some extra in my pay afetr involving the union."

I feel totally undervalued but the school just keeps saying they have no money.

Well, you opened this post by saying they were "going down the tubes". If we take that as financially, that's it.

Would you do it?? I am only considering it because I want to take maternity leave again..

So, are you pregnant now or seriously planning to get pregnant soon? Who's kidding who, now?

[KansaiBen]

I will not be getting any extra for babysitting but I did get the four day week I wanted... Bottom line is 252,000 for four days. I feel totally undervalued but the school just keeps saying they have no money..Would you do it?? I am only considering it because I want to take maternity leave again..

Fact of the matter is, you want to regard teaching as an ALT as an career, while taking one-two years off so you can have kids. They essentially want you to quit as you have now become a mother and can not devote your whole attention to your job.

Call it sexism, misogyny, whatever, but if a man did that he would be out of a job fairly quickly.

You have probably guessed by now that working women have an extremely short shelf life and the schools attitude is now that you will be taken care of by your husband, rather than juggle kids and a career.

[slainte]

Morton-thanks for your input!

[slainte]

So, you're teaching 17 classes now for far less pay than they offered you (306,000 vs. 252,000)? This doesn't make sense mathematically, especially since you say "I fought this and got some extra in my pay afetr involving the union."

They pay is 18,000 per class per month meaning I got 306,000 for 17 classes but no extra money for supervisory role. I fought it and got the 18,000 because it was obvious to everyone in the staff room that I was being stalked on all my free classes and speaking in broken English to make this new guy understand. The 252,000 refers to my offer for this year-4 day week 14 classes but no extra for supervising.


So, are you pregnant now or seriously planning to get pregnant soon? Who's kidding who, now?

I am not pregnant now but am planning to be. If I move to another job I wouldn't get maternity leave...And "Who's kidding who, now?"......wtf??

[slainte]

Fact of the matter is, you want to regard teaching as an ALT as an career, while taking one-two years off so you can have kids. They essentially want you to quit as you have now become a mother and can not devote your whole attention to your job.

Call it sexism, misogyny, whatever, but if a man did that he would be out of a job fairly quickly.

You have probably guessed by now that working women have an extremely short shelf life and the schools attitude is now that you will be taken care of by your husband, rather than juggle kids and a career.

Not an ALT and that is one of the reasons I am so annoyed with this offer. Teach solo, do all grades etc

Yes I am aware that they want rid of me because I may get pregnant again and I'm sorry that men can't do this but that's life..

[Tatsuo]

30万 for ,,teaching" some hours of one's mother tongue in a buyer's market without 教員免許. What do you want, woman ？
Most university educated Japanese teachers get less than 25万 for 10-12 hours work / day.

If you don't like it don't do it. Open your own business and pay your pregnant employees whatever you want.
No clue about the market and business but whining like a dog.

Do you know what is going on out there and what people have to do every day to get what you earn ?

My advice: Shut up !

[Effected After]

30万 for ,,teaching" some hours of one's mother tongue in a buyer's market without 教員免許. What do you want, woman ？
Most university educated Japanese teachers get less than 25万 for 10-12 hours work / day.

Yes, and they also get to live in their home country, with their friends and family nearby, and can communicate with everyone around them in their own tongue. If a company wants to entice decent English teachers, they need to pay a decent salary to cover the persons lifestyle, as well as compensate them for the above points. A Japanese person doesn't have to fly overseas to see their friends and family, so they don't need the money to do this either.

You are comparing apples and oranges. Japanese teachers may be getting a crappy salary, but it has nothing to do with this girls salary.

[Kiboo]

Yes, and they also get to live in their home country, with their friends and family nearby, and can communicate with everyone around them in their own tongue. If a company wants to entice decent English teachers, they need to pay a decent salary to cover the persons lifestyle, as well as compensate them for the above points. A Japanese person doesn't have to fly overseas to see their friends and family, so they don't need the money to do this either.

You are comparing apples and oranges. Japanese teachers may be getting a crappy salary, but it has nothing to do with this girls salary.

So true ...

[Tatsuo]

Yes, and they also get to live in their home country, with their friends and family nearby, and can communicate with everyone around them in their own tongue. If a company wants to entice decent English teachers, they need to pay a decent salary to cover the persons lifestyle, as well as compensate them for the above points. A Japanese person doesn't have to fly overseas to see their friends and family, so they don't need the money to do this either.

You are comparing apples and oranges. Japanese teachers may be getting a crappy salary, but it has nothing to do with this girls salary.

You are talking crap. 

1) Schools don't have to do anything. We have a buyer's market and as long as people are working for less employers will pay less. This is called ,,free market". A system especially Americans should be familiar with.

2) According to your logic Asians moving to the US or Europe are being paid more because they are not familiar with the culture and their friends live far a way. Never heard such a crap.

What do you want ? Always talking the talk about not being treated equal but when it comes to money trying to play the gaijin-card !  Pathetic.

[Effected After]

What are you taking about? I have no desire to be treated equal here, I like the benefits of being a foreigner - such as getting paid more than the locals for some jobs.

Anyways, you're sort of right, it is a buyer's market, if you want to buy crap. If you want quality though, you have to pay for it. The good teachers aren't going to come for a crap salary, they are going to go where someone is willing to pay what they are worth.

As for 'my logic', I was speaking of English speakers in Japan. Not the same thing as Asians living overseas. So it wasn't my logic at all, it's yours.

[Chuck Sickens]

it is a buyer's market, if you want to buy crap. If you want quality though, you have to pay for it. The good teachers aren't going to come for a crap salary, they are going to go where someone is willing to pay what they are worth.
.

So true....................

[Tatsuo]

What are you taking about? I have no desire to be treated equal here, I like the benefits of being a foreigner - such as getting paid more than the locals for some jobs.

Anyways, you're sort of right, it is a buyer's market, if you want to buy crap. If you want quality though, you have to pay for it. The good teachers aren't going to come for a crap salary, they are going to go where someone is willing to pay what they are worth.

As for 'my logic', I was speaking of English speakers in Japan. Not the same thing as Asians living overseas. So it wasn't my logic at all, it's yours.

Either you are ignorant or just stupid. You definitely don't know what you are talking about.  The whole market for English teachers in Japan dropped. This is not a point to discuss, this is fact. Especially for highly qualified teachers we can see shorter contracts and less money up to 50% compared to 10-15 years ago. Your argument that qualified people didn't care because they went to employers that pay decently is childish and shows how little you know about the market. Employers pay as much as they have to in order to get adequate staff. As more and more highly qualified teachers apply prices drop. Even your wishful thinking can't change this. Debating about facts is pretty dumb, don't you think ?

By the way, you said that foreign English teachers should get more than Japanese teachers because they have additional costs to fly home etc. As foreign companies don't pay more (usually even less) to Asian employees when they work in the States etc., foreigners are not forced to come to Japan, there is no law whatsoever regarding this matter and teachers are pouring in for much less ( as they don't care about being paid more) your argument is crap.

Again: Discussions about this point are  also meaningless as not wishfull thinking of some wannabes about right or wrong but the market decides how much you are worth. And the market has decided very clearly what we can expect in the following years.

But I guess there will always be some retarded socialists that believe that they could stop a trend and change negative facts by telling the world what they believe should be or shouldn't be. Lol.

[Effected After]

Either you are ignorant or just stupid. You definitely don't know what you are talking about.  The whole market for English teachers in Japan dropped. This is not a point to discuss, this is fact. Especially for highly qualified teachers we can see shorter contracts and less money up to 50% compared to 10-15 years ago. Your argument that qualified people didn't care because they went to employers that paid decently is childish and shows how little you know about the market. Employers pay as much as they have to in order to get adequate staff.

See my last post, since by that comment, it's quite apparent you didn't bother to read it the first time.

By the way, you said that foreign English teachers should get more than Japanese teachers because they have additional costs to fly home etc. As foreign companies don't pay more (usually even less) to Asian employees when they work in the States etc., foreigners are neither forced to come to Japan, there is no law whatsoever regarding this matter and teachers are pouring in for much less ( as they don't care about being paid more) your argument is crap.

I never said anything whatsoever about foreign staff in countries other than Japan, so you seem to be arguing with someone else other than me. Again, read my last post, since you didn't bother the first time.

Either you are ignorant or just stupid.

You claim this, but for a guy who can't even be bothered to read the posts he is arguing against, I have to wonder if that comment wasn't self directed.

[Glenski]

I am not pregnant now but am planning to be.

Thank you for explaining that.

If I move to another job I wouldn't get maternity leave.

Why not? It's the law.

And, please clarify the salary situation, as I pointed out the confusion earlier:

So, you're teaching 17 classes now for far less pay than they offered you (306,000 vs. 252,000)? This doesn't make sense mathematically, especially since you say "I fought this and got some extra in my pay afetr involving the union."

As for "who's kidding who", my point was that you are hoping to get a job where you know you will soon be pregnant and cannot fulfill the obligations of the job that they will have hired you in good faith to do. Is that clearer?

[takalem]

30万 for ,,teaching" some hours of one's mother tongue in a buyer's market without 教員免許. What do you want, woman ？
Most university educated Japanese teachers get less than 25万 for 10-12 hours work / day.

Sorry to say, but I think you are the one who is "talking crap. ." I don't know where this misguided notion that Japanese teachers get paid less 250 000 yen a month has come from, but I can assure you that you are either lying, pulling random numbers from your derriere, or are very much misinformed. While salaries will vary depending on the prefecture, when I was working as a senior high shool JET in Aomori over ten years ago, the Japanese English teacher who sat beside me in the teachers's room told me that she received a winter and summer bonus both valued at about one million yen each. She also received a smaller bonus of about 300 000 yen every spring, which according to what you have claimed would mean she would only be earning 100 000 yen a month if her bonuses were not taken into consideration. Granted she was a teacher with several years of experience, but when a younger teacher at the same school commented that my monthly salary was slightly more than hers (as a JET, my salary was common knowledge amongst the staff), I replied that I didn't receive any bonuses, so, in fact, in the end, she was paid considerably more than me each year to which she agreed (and in no way do I mean to imply that she was underserving of this higher pay). Currently, a public junior high school teacher from Kanagawa acts a guarantor for my apartment, and every two years at renewal time, I must ask him for his yearly salary information, the last time being just over a year ago. His salary for the year before last was 7 million yen which I'm assuming also includes his bonuses.

Get your facts straight.

[Effected After]

Careful not to let yourself get too riled up by Tatsuo's comments, he's a troll. Responding with logic is fine, but if you let yourself get emotional, the trolls win.

[Tatsuo]

Sorry to say, but I think you are the one who is "talking crap. ." I don't know where this misguided notion that Japanese teachers get paid less 250 000 yen a month has come from, but I can assure you that you are either lying, pulling random numbers from your derriere, or are very much misinformed. While salaries will vary depending on the prefecture, when I was working as a senior high shool JET in Aomori over ten years ago, the Japanese English teacher who sat beside me in the teachers's room told me that she received a winter and summer bonus both valued at about one million yen each. She also received a smaller bonus of about 300 000 yen every spring, which according to what you have claimed would mean she would only be earning 100 000 yen a month if her bonuses were not taken into consideration. Granted she was a teacher with several years of experience, but when a younger teacher at the same school commented that my monthly salary was slightly more than hers (as a JET, my salary was common knowledge amongst the staff), I replied that I didn't receive any bonuses, so, in fact, in the end, she was paid considerably more than me each year to which she agreed (and in no way do I mean to imply that she was underserving of this higher pay). Currently, a public junior high school teacher from Kanagawa acts a guarantor for my apartment, and every two years at renewal time, I must ask him for his yearly salary information, the last time being just over a year ago. His salary for the year before last was 7 million yen which I'm assuming also includes his bonuses.

Get your facts straight.

Great first post ! Didn't want to use your real user-name because the JET-experience and not being able to rent your own place without a babysitter doesn't look good, ah ?

You are talking crap. The entry salary for a teacher lies between 20 and 23万　a month. With 教員免許. Some teachers come to 26-27 a month if you calculate overtime. Kindergarten-teachers usually never see 25万　for 220-250 hours/month. So why in hell should some woman with no 教員免許　and working part-time get more than 30万　?

And here goes what goes for most complaints: If you don't like it, don't do it. Shut up, open your own business and pay the high salaries you requested as an employee.

[Effected After]

And here goes what goes for most complaints: If you don't like it.... Shut up

And there we have the Japanese in a nutshell.

[slainte]

Thanks for all the input and humurous replies!! A great insight into what kind of foreigners have to be endured here..More than ever I think I should be getting paid more. I'll be sure to help offer my advice in the future..

[hml]

Morton-thanks for your input!

But not the others...?

I am not pregnant now but am planning to be. If I move to another job I wouldn't get maternity leave...And "Who's kidding who, now?"......wtf??

He offers good insight to the employer's thinking. These are the facts. Pregnant women are a liability to a company. I'd like to take 4 months off too, but I can't - without losing my job.

Not an ALT and that is one of the reasons I am so annoyed with this offer. Teach solo, do all grades etc

Yes I am aware that they want rid of me because I may get pregnant again and I'm sorry that men can't do this but that's life..

Exactly! Men can't give birth and pregnant women cannot be depended on to be there.

My advice: Shut up !

A bit direct, but I must agree.

If you had a legal leg to stand on, you should have received the same salary after your maternity leave. Did you not have a contract?

More than ever I think I should be getting paid more.

Based on what? that you miss work 25% of the time?

I'll be sure to help offer my advice in the future..

Wow, slice me off a piece of THAT! Could you sprinkle it with some suggestions, too?

[Tatsuo]

If you don't like it, don't do it.

Tatsuo: "If you don't like it.... Shut up". And there we have the Japanese in a nutshell.

And here we have a good example of how foreigners think: If you don't have arguments you change the meaning of a post / saying of another person so it fits in your strange views of the world.

PS: Don't be so angry, my little retarded friend. You made some bad choices and became a teacher. This is ok. Although you don't make as much money, we need you guys. I couldn't live on it but everybody is different. If it makes you happy, why not ?

[takalem]

Great first post ! Didn't want to use your real user-name because the JET-experience and not being able to rent your own place without a babysitter doesn't look good, ah ?

You are talking crap. The entry salary for a teacher lies between 20 and 23万　a month. With 教員免許. Some teachers come to 26-27 a month if you calculate overtime. Kindergarten-teachers usually never see 25万　for 220-250 hours/month. So why in hell should some woman with no 教員免許　and working part-time get more than 30万　?

And here goes what goes for most complaints: If you don't like it, don't do it. Shut up, open your own business and pay the high salaries you requested as an employee.

I've been lurking on this site for a while, but, yes, that was actually my first ever post. I'm not at all embarrassed about my JET experience, but the fact that you seem to look on it with disdain is more than likely the facade that hides your envy; I find that people who insult those on the JET programme are usually the ones who tried but couldn't even make it past the first round of the application process. Anyway, for the crap you have been spewing out, I'm beginning to doubt you even live in Japan. First of all, yes, I suppose I do need a babysitter to rent my apartment as do the majority of Japanese and non-Japanese alike who are required to have a guarantor. You see, that's the way things work in Japan. Secondly, while a full-time, entry-level public school teacher may make less than 300 000 yen a month (but nowhere near as low as 200 000 yen) before bonuses, once bonuses are included, it brings their salaries to over 300 000 yen per month throughout an entire year, and let's not forget that many if not most prefectures also offer subsidized housing or housing allowances to teachers. Furthermore, neither public nor private school fulltime teachers are paid overtime. They get a fixed monthly salary whether they are at work for eight hours or twelve hours.

It's obvious you have no idea what you are talking about, but it's fun to feed the troll. If I were talking crap as you have claimed, I would be more than happy to let you eat some of it.

[thefg]

I was happy enough with my pay as native teacher supervisor, which was 360,000. However, I took maternity leave and when I came back I was forced to accept a salary of 306,000 because my classes were reduced.

this is japan.

In japan when women have kids it effects the way they are viewed by their company.

you are not being singled out - all japanese women face this issue


after childbirth they are usually given less responsibility and their career effectively stiffled. They are seen as being less reliable as they have to take time off to look after their sick kids etc etc.

your sitituation is extremely common it effects most women.


if this outcome has surprised you perhaps you should have done your homework before having a kid. in japan having a kid is a career killer

[Effected After]

And here we have a good example of how foreigners think: If you don't have arguments you change the meaning of a post / saying of another person so it fits in your strange views of the world.

Just filtering some of the garbage out of your post, to get to the real meaning of what you were saying.

PS: Don't be so angry, my little retarded friend. You made some bad choices and became a teacher.

Weird, you must think you are talking to another poster. I haven't been a teacher in over a decade. I run my own business in an industry completely unrelated and unconnected to anything to do with the English teaching industry. I guess it must be another ESL thing (unless you are a fake Japanese, then you don't have that excuse.

Edit: unless you were referring to my having been a teacher over a decade ago, in which case it was actually a great decision, as it got me into Japan, which eventually led to me starting my own business.

[vallient]

All the concepts and issues regarding japanese culture and work environment are irrelevant. This is about you and your compensation per hour. How much is having the availability of maternity leave worth to you? Add that to your salary and divide by your teaching hours. Now compare that to your other options? Which is better staying or leaving? If it was me unless I had another and better offer ready to go, I'd take it. You can always delay getting pregnant again for at least a little while. Either that or take the new contract, get pregnant, and go on maternity leave again, then revisit the issue of leaving when your maternity leave is up.

[thefg]

All the concepts and issues regarding japanese culture and work environment are irrelevant. This is about you and your compensation per hour. .

yes irrelevant, apart from the fact thats what determines her compensation per hour

[Effected After]

I get his point though. The cultural side of it is secondary when it comes to making a decision. The decision is really between what she's got, and what her alternatives are.

[Kionon]

Couple of observations:

1) Tatsuo is amusing, but as a troll he has a wonderful capacity to steer the discourse in irrelevant directions.

There is absolutely no evidence that slainte does not have a 教員免許 or at least a 臨時免許. I reserve judgement until she tells us otherwise. Regardless, she is a solo teacher, responsible for grades. Slainte, are you also a HRT or have other responsibilities? How many hours do you put in outside of your classes?

2) Takalem's information on Japanese teacher salary matches my own.

3) Understanding that the Japanese view of women in the workplace is realistically incongruent with both the Japanese Constitution and international views on women's rights, I do not think it unproductive to discuss it. And even if it was unproductive, it absolutely does not in any way suddenly make the rampant misogyny of some of the posts in this thread suddenly appropriate. Certainly posters are free to be misogynistic, but let us call a spade a spade here. The idea that women must choose between an equal salary and going through the necessary biological function of pregnancy for reproduction just because men do not have the option to make the same choice is one that is antiquated and deserving to be placed in the dustbin of history.

Ladies and gentlemen, you may fire when ready. *Puts on Acme Brand Flamesuit*

[Tatsuo]

1) Tatsuo is amusing, but as a troll he has a wonderful capacity to steer the discourse in irrelevant directions.

Thanks !

There is absolutely no evidence that slainte does not have a 教員免許 or at least a 臨時免許. I reserve judgement until she tells us otherwise.

Want to bet ?

There is also no evidence that a homeless person is not a reporter in disguise.
There is also no evidence that the business of the user "Effected After" is a little slow as he/she has time to post the whole day on this forum.

Still I call the first one homeless and the second one "loser" because I'm playing the odds.
Evidence on a forum is a tricky thing.

[Kionon]

Thanks !

Always welcome, my comedically golden friend. I learned long ago to take you with a ton of salt, and a very loud guffaw!

Want to bet?

Do I want to bet that there is no evidence yet given in this thread the negates the possibility of Japanese certification? I shall take that bet.

Such a bet does not mean I have any belief one way or the other. I wish only to wait until slainte herself answers your charge.

[Effected After]

There is also no evidence that the business of the user "Effected After" is a little slow as he/she has time to post the whole day on this forum.

Maybe my job is to post on GP. That would blow your whole idea out of the water. The more I posted, the harder I would be working!

[Tatsuo]

I wish only to wait until slainte herself answers your charge.

...which is evidence for you . . . lol

[slainte]

this is japan.

In japan when women have kids it effects the way they are viewed by their company.

you are not being singled out - all japanese women face this issue


after childbirth they are usually given less responsibility and their career effectively stiffled. They are seen as being less reliable as they have to take time off to look after their sick kids etc etc.

your sitituation is extremely common it effects most women.


if this outcome has surprised you perhaps you should have done your homework before having a kid. in japan having a kid is a career killer

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I was aware of this being the norm but I foolishly thought this school would be ok. The other female teachers with children are permanent workers so they won't have faced this. I have made alternative arrangements when my child has been sick so that I do not inconvenience the school. However, the other (non-native) foreign english teacher has taken many days off (sore stomach and couldn't sleep well!!! WTF!) leaving me to cover. BUT this is ok...My main complaint is that in my free classes this guy is at my desk asking me stuff over and over and because he is not fluent in English he cannot comprehend my explanations. The school depends on my Japanese to read emails etc and convey to the other foreigner but don't feel I need to be compensated! Anyway, all the moaning in the world won't change the situation but I just wanted to get some honest opinions from other foreigners here.
Thanks!

[slainte]

All the concepts and issues regarding japanese culture and work environment are irrelevant. This is about you and your compensation per hour. How much is having the availability of maternity leave worth to you? Add that to your salary and divide by your teaching hours. Now compare that to your other options? Which is better staying or leaving? If it was me unless I had another and better offer ready to go, I'd take it. You can always delay getting pregnant again for at least a little while. Either that or take the new contract, get pregnant, and go on maternity leave again, then revisit the issue of leaving when your maternity leave is up.

Thank you for your honest and non-attacking reply.

[Effected After]

With situations like this, it's best to figure out what your best alternative is. If you left this job, what would you do? What are your options. Once you have in mind what your best alternative is, you can start to figure out how far you want to push anything. Maybe you have no alternatives. In such a case, it's best to keep your mouth shut and do whatever is expected of you. Or maybe your husband makes good money, and your best alternative would be to take as long as you need to find another job. In such case, you may want to initiate a work-to-rule policy - tell them that if they want you to translate, you will have to work out a contract to determine what they will pay you for this translation. Things could go fast to shite, leaving you with no job, but you've already determined that it's ok if you have no job for a while.

If you don't know your best alternative, then you are working blind, and that's when you can all of a sudden end up in a bad position because you didn't plan effectively.

[slainte]

Couple of observations:

1) Tatsuo is amusing, but as a troll he has a wonderful capacity to steer the discourse in irrelevant directions.

There is absolutely no evidence that slainte does not have a 教員免許 or at least a 臨時免許. I reserve judgement until she tells us otherwise. Regardless, she is a solo teacher, responsible for grades. Slainte, are you also a HRT or have other responsibilities? How many hours do you put in outside of your classes?

2) Takalem's information on Japanese teacher salary matches my own.

3) Understanding that the Japanese view of women in the workplace is realistically incongruent with both the Japanese Constitution and international views on women's rights, I do not think it unproductive to discuss it. And even if it was unproductive, it absolutely does not in any way suddenly make the rampant misogyny of some of the posts in this thread suddenly appropriate. Certainly posters are free to be misogynistic, but let us call a spade a spade here. The idea that women must choose between an equal salary and going through the necessary biological function of pregnancy for reproduction just because men do not have the option to make the same choice is one that is antiquated and deserving to be placed in the dustbin of history.

Ladies and gentlemen, you may fire when ready. *Puts on Acme Brand Flamesuit*

Thanks for your input Kionon. I don't have a teaching licence nor am I a HRT but I do have resposibilities outside the classroom,work 8.30 to 5.00 and think that after nine years I should earn more than a newbie..ALTs get more!! I should not have to ensure someone else's classes, grades, schedules etc go smoothly for free..If a skill is needed it should be paid for..I should point out that my own grades were tampered with in his attempt to crunch numbers leaving me in the brown stuff!!
Thanks for your input.

[slainte]

With situations like this, it's best to figure out what your best alternative is. If you left this job, what would you do? What are your options. Once you have in mind what your best alternative is, you can start to figure out how far you want to push anything. Maybe you have no alternatives. In such a case, it's best to keep your mouth shut and do whatever is expected of you. Or maybe your husband makes good money, and your best alternative would be to take as long as you need to find another job. In such case, you may want to initiate a work-to-rule policy - tell them that if they want you to translate, you will have to work out a contract to determine what they will pay you for this translation. Things could go fast to shite, leaving you with no job, but you've already determined that it's ok if you have no job for a while.

If you don't know your best alternative, then you are working blind, and that's when you can all of a sudden end up in a bad position because you didn't plan effectively.

Yes you are right. The problem is I can't decide what to do. I'm getting on a bit for this child-raising lark so sooner is better.. If I moved jobs I would need to renew a contract twice (or once, can't remember) I think to qualify for maternity leave. If I left I'd be wanting to get unemployment benefits since I've been paying the insurance and during this time I could look for something else. I have tried over and over to get compensation for translation etc but get a flat no. I have tried to make them understand how much extra I need to do for the other guy but they said I don't have to do it and to ignore him.. So I tried this at grade submission time..he stalked me all day long and I said I was too busy and he needed to do it himself..He ended up deleting and messing with my scores, didn't balance fairly between classes, gave people scores that had been absent all term etc...Then I was expected to fix it!! There is more but I'll leave it there....What I'm trying to say is that he can't be ignored and someone needs to be in charge for classes, grading and schedule changes to go smoothly...SIGH...
But thank you...

[Effected After]

Yes, but what is your alternative? Do you have one?