enforced earlier start time

[teacher no name]

My usual, contracted school hours are 7.45 until 4.30

My school have issued a decree that from tomorrow all staff, Thai and non Thai must start work at 7.00 because the director is displeased that some staff, Thai and non Thai, are regularly late.

I know it may sound a small matter, but legally can they do this, can it be imposed /enforced?

The majority of staff are never late but being punished.

I know - if you don't like it find somewhere else, and I'm sure many will.

i just wonder how common this is and how others might have reacted / dealt with the situation.

[CharlieH]

First question, is the day then reduced or pay increased or time off in lieu of payment ?

 

The contracted hours are effectively increased so is this reflected in someway in remuneration ? it adds up to about an half day over the week.

 

Do you have the number of hours stated on your contract ?

[teacher no name]

no extra pay, no other time off in lieu, 

unspecified consequences if you are late.

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, teacher no name said:

no extra pay, no other time off in lieu, 

unspecified consequences if you are late.

Do you have a contract or verbal agreement ?

[kingofthemountain]

6 minutes ago, teacher no name said:

no extra pay, no other time off in lieu, 

unspecified consequences if you are late.

so wait to see tomorrow at 7h00 if the thais teachers are here

i bait they will come at usual, around 7h30\7h45 and the few who are usualy in late should be on time.

and after tomorrow you can still come as usual with the others, around 7h30\7h45.

Typical thai style short time action. nothing to worry about imo

[Isaanbiker]

OP, unfortunately, is the Po Oo's word what counts.

 

  We've had various changes that aren't fun, but there's not much you can do.

 

  It might last for a week and might soon be forgotten. Just be there on time and see. 

See the bright side of it. It could be worse.

 

  Best of luck. 

[Number 6]

Is it so difficult or discomforting to come in at 7am? Couldn't you use that time productively? Thai contracts outside of monthly salary are utterly unenforceable. If you continue coming in late and the director asked you why your answer would be which childish response:

A. Everyone else does it

B. My contract hours start at 745

C. Sorry, I can't get out of bed in time.

 

In the next post you'll complain about low pay ????

[kingofthemountain]

If by extraordinary is will be enforced in long term and you are not happy with it

i suggest you to start to find a new school, because if you try to negociate

a better salary with the actual because of the extra hours, you are 

probably going to be fired, just to do an example for the others.

[Isaanbiker]

2 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

Is it so difficult or discomforting to come in at 7am? Couldn't you use that time productively? Thai contracts outside of monthly salary are utterly unenforceable. If you continue coming in late and the director asked you why your answer would be which childish response:

A. Everyone else does it

B. My contract hours start at 745

C. Sorry, I can't get out of bed in time.

Where did the OP state that he's late?

 It would change a lot for me if I'd have to be at school 45 minutes earlier; besides, are many vans or other means of transportation not available before 7 am.

 

  

 

 

[PatOngo]

33 minutes ago, teacher no name said:

no extra pay, no other time off in lieu, 

unspecified consequences if you are late.

How hard is it to get to work on time!

[Number 6]

13 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

Where did the OP state that he's late?

 It would change a lot for me if I'd have to be at school 45 minutes earlier; besides, are many vans or other means of transportation not available before 7 am.

 

  

 

 

He very well might not be - or is, he didn't say oddly.

 

In Bangkok it's not unheard of to have 7/715/720/730 starts. Out of five schools the latest start time I'd ever had was 730. Most were 7-720.

 

As for the transport then I would take that issue to the director and say, I'm only to pleased to follow the new rule but it's impossible. Then he can say ok, I understand or well, you're part of the problem anyway so you're fired.

 

And that's yet another of 1000 reasons not to work upcountry.

 

The something for nothing crowd - wants time off for coming in early. Is that in days or just a bit of comp time? Might be your first teaching gig.

[Colabamumbai]

They can do whatever you let them. Post again after 10 years teaching. 

[BritManToo]

On 11/19/2019 at 7:42 PM, teacher no name said:

i just wonder how common this is and how others might have reacted / dealt with the situation.

Handing in your resignation the next day would seem the obvious answer.

Minimum notice period.

[recom273]

They love to change the rules, especially when a new boss shows up, you may even have the sympathy of your dept. boss but at the end of the day they will never ruin their chances of promotion by assisting you.

 

Suck it up and move on next term.

 

One thing that is worth doing, just to make a mockery of it all, turn up at 6.00, sign in and the go home until 7.45 or come In at 7.00, put your bag on your desk and then go for coffee, or whatever, just don’t get into a position where you can start work, that really pi$$es the powers off. 
 

I’m sure you are also aware, that sometimes it’s initially acceptable to meet their demands for a while, then just stop arriving early, wait until someone points out the rules and then tell them sorry, you forgot, like others say, there’s a good chance this will be forgotten about next month - I’m guessing you haven’t had an issue with being late, your dept. boss may just forget to enforce it for you.

[lucifer666]

As a Farang teacher in Thailand, you do what the director says. Or look for another job. Farang teachers here are disposable and are treated like dirt. Get used to it, or quit.

[4MyEgo]

On 11/19/2019 at 11:42 PM, teacher no name said:

I know it may sound a small matter, but legally can they do this, can it be imposed /enforced?

I am now retired, however when I was an employee or a contractor, and they wanted to bring their ego's into play as opposed to addressing the issues at hand with other employees/contractors, I would throw a wobbly, i.e. a sickie for 3 days and as an employee I would get paid, they would lose the income stream as they didn't have the resources to fill my absence, so it was a double loss for them.

 

When I was a contractor, we both were at a loss, but they soon learned to not include the sensitive one when making changes as he wasn't one to try and control further, leave him alone and he performs, a win/win try and use the whip and he will pull up quick smart.

 

I never gave a rats if anyone ever had the balls to sake me, bring it on was my attitude, and I do recall once a partner once said to me, if you don't do what your told, you might not have a position her anymore, I turned and said really, then through a wobbly for a week and started my work with my new employer, too easy, especially if you have funds to back you and are prepared to change employers.

 

Chuck a wobbly for 3 days, just do it........then turn up at 7.45am when you return and every day thereafter, fark the lot of them !!!

 

 

[chuang]

Have you ever been late...

[jingjai9]

Thais have a different relationship with work and contracts than the west. It is futile to try to use western standards when considering the spirit of a contract here in Thailand. I had a similar experience. A Filipino teacher at my school was abusing the system by calling in sick or coming to work late and doing so habitually. In response to this bad behavior, the management told us if we came to work even a minute late, 50 baht would be deducted for the first minute and up to 1000. We just nodded and waited for them to enforce it. Since the day we got the warning I have not heard about it again. Check out how closely and consistently the new rules are monitored and enforced. 

 

 

 

[onlycw]

On 11/19/2019 at 8:25 PM, PatOngo said:

How hard is it to get to work on time!

I misu nderstood a Thai colleague, instructing me to lie about the time (signing in). I wrote the correct time aand that spoilt it for the late-comers.

 

The OP hasn't said that he has been late. 

 

A few teachers who are late are not singled out. Instead, let's ALL be forced to come 45 minutes earlier?!? The PO'Or might think he is the Sun King, but the contrsacts prevail.

 

Just make sure you will never be late - and you should be okay.

 

The Directosd sometimes won't come in for days - having teachers bring & collect files at all hours. 

[PatOngo]

1 minute ago, onlycw said:

I misu nderstood a Thai colleague, instructing me to lie about the time (signing in). I wrote the correct time aand that spoilt it for the late-comers.

 

The OP hasn't said that he has been late. 

 

A few teachers who are late are not singled out. Instead, let's ALL be forced to come 45 minutes earlier?!? The PO'Or might think he is the Sun King, but the contrsacts prevail.

 

Just make sure you will never be late - and you should be okay.

 

The Directosd sometimes won't come in for days - having teachers bring & collect files at all hours. 

Are you an English teacher?

[Northman]

45 minutes extra? Say you make 1k baht an hour, that adds 750 baht to your daily salary. Sucks to wake up earlier but after a month that's at least 15k extra pay.

I wouldn't complain.

[kingofthemountain]

The OP seems to have disappeared

so we will probably never know how the things have evolved ????

[jany123]

12 minutes ago, Northman said:

45 minutes extra? Say you make 1k baht an hour, that adds 750 baht to your daily salary. Sucks to wake up earlier but after a month that's at least 15k extra pay.

I wouldn't complain.

He says he’s not getting that 15 000 extra baht... so.... given that, would you now complain?

[Chazar]

On 11/19/2019 at 8:25 PM, PatOngo said:

How hard is it to get to work on time!

time for many Thais is very variable.

[Chazar]

On 11/25/2019 at 12:36 PM, PatOngo said:

Are you an English teacher?

maybe he is  just not a  typist

[Northman]

15 minutes ago, jany123 said:

He says he’s not getting that 15 000 extra baht... so.... given that, would you now complain?

 

I would be really surprised if I didn't get paid for time spent at work. If it ever happened I would issue a demand for the money to my employer, if they refused I would issue for their bankruptcy and the govt would pay me instead. Then again, I don't live in Thailand, workers' rights probably don't exist there.

[jany123]

8 minutes ago, Northman said:

 

I would be really surprised if I didn't get paid for time spent at work. If it ever happened I would issue a demand for the money to my employer, if they refused I would issue for their bankruptcy and the govt would pay me instead. Then again, I don't live in Thailand, workers' rights probably don't exist there.

Yes yes... but the poster was clear in that he was not being compensated for the extra time spent at work, so rather than stating you wouldn’t complain, what you really mean is that if in his position, you would scream your head off, all the way to court. Got it

[Scott]

Troll post removed.

 

[Scott]

4 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

The OP seems to have disappeared

so we will probably never know how the things have evolved ????

He has to be at work earlier, maybe he doesn't have time to post!!

 

[jaffas21]

Yes, the many posters are correct, we are supposed to finish at 5.15 and  keep getting reminded about it, the next day everyone clocks out at 5.05 anyway. Personally there is no evidence its 5.15, i think its our head being a bit funny.  I know a school where they deduct 2000 a month and if your leave early they take all the money, if you stay you get it back like you paid for you own 12 month contract, also october holidays are cancelled for two years there, imagine that and consider yourself lucky my friend. We used to have gate duty .. be there at 7am they would say .. but the thais would roll in from 7.30 .. they just wanted us there. btw the thais also get an october holiday. Of course all the foreigners are now from the phillipines cos they know if they treat a westerner like that he would be off two weeks later.