QUOTE FROM THE BLACKLIST NOMINATIONS SECTION
"Branches in Anhui province.
60 hour work weeks. Teaching hours and office hours are not counted equally. Yes, the contract says teaching hours are limited to 24 a week, but you got to be in the office for more time than that.
Yellow, the boss, is a control freak who manipulates everyone.
He changes the schedule on the whims of parents.
Class times are random at best, at often depend on the schedules of the bratty kid whose parents have the most money or influense.
Accommodation is crap.
Most days you got to teach mornings at some offsite god awful middle school, then get the afternoon off, then work evenings teaching clawing high-school students and middle school students.
Salary is based on teaching hours, not on a monthly basis. If no one wants classes in January, you don't get paid because you didn't teach. Meanwhile, you're still expected to be in the office for 40 hours a week.
IF kiddies want lessons everyday during their spring holiday. you work up to 200 hours that month, but will be told that your get a monthly salary of less than you expect.
stay away"
Inspector McHammered of the Lard
FOR THE MOST RECENT POSTING CLICK HERE
FOR BLACKLIST NOMINATIONS CLICK HERE
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Categories
- Argentina (1)
- Belgium (1)
- Berlitz (6)
- Burma (1)
- China (8)
- Croatia (1)
- Czech Republic (6)
- Egypt (1)
- England (7)
- Finland (1)
- France (6)
- Germany (1)
- Greece (1)
- Hong Kong (1)
- Indonesia (3)
- Inlingua (3)
- Inspector Mchammered of the Lard (30)
- International House (4)
- Italy (16)
- Japan (8)
- Korea (14)
- Lebanon (1)
- Malaysia (3)
- Mexico (1)
- Miscellaneous (5)
- Mongolia (1)
- Nominate a School for Blacklisting (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Sandy McManus (9)
- Slovakia (3)
- Spain (8)
- Switzerland (4)
- Teacher Training Courses (19)
- Teaching Resources (2)
- Thailand (2)
- The Guardian (3)
- Turkey (6)
- Wall Street Institute (4)
About Me
Welcome to the TEFL Blacklist. And, yes - it's black! In fact, this blog is for all you angry EFL teachers out there - and I know there must be a good number of you! If you've suffered at the hands of a rogue employer, a dodgy DOS, or a pain-in-the-arse Principal, then this is your chance to get your own back. If you have a story to tell post it briefly in the section marked NOMINATE A SCHOOL FOR BLACKLISTING. There should be a hyperlink at the bottom of most posts. Add your comments to whichever thread you happen to want to add a contribution and then simply copy and then paste it in the section entitled "Chronological Postings" as well. Don't forget to add a note explaining where the original was posted. That way people can, if they choose, simply read all the postings made to all the threads in chronological order.
Inspector McHammered of the Lard
Inspector McHammered of the Lard
The comedian Eddie Izzard is unique. "He is the first to admit that he gets well paid for talking total bollocks. The good pay is because, unlike the bollocks most of us talk, it's funny"
Blog Archive
Links
BBC News | Education | UK Edition
Chronological postings
In response to a request from the redoubtable Alex Case here is your opportunity to hit a double whammy (so to speak). Add your comments to whichever thread you happen to want to add a contribution and then simply copy and then paste it in the section marked "chronological postings" as well. Don't forget to add a note explaining where the original was posted. That way people can, if they choose, simply read all the postings made to all the threads in chronological order.
6 comments:
I don't know if the incident quoted below is true, but reading the various comments associated with it there appears to be some truth. Whatever the real situation, there is definitely a lesson to be learnt about visas and China. Certainly never ever forget for one minute that you're in a communist country which has a very cavalier attitude to human rights and as a consequence you should be very very careful.
The Inspector is personally satisfied that Bluniverse, Hefei China has had enough bad press written about it to justify a blacklisting.
Why bother taking the risk working for a crap employer such as Bluniverse when there are jobs by the score to be had in China.
As I've said time and time again, if in any doubt whatsoever don't take the job.
Quote
"
A sad incident occured with the boss of bluniverse and i guess i must share it with you guys.
At the end of last session they decided to hire new teachers,usually like all schools in china do and contacts where made and a young American was contacted. He was to be recruited for the new session,bluniverse collected his passport which was due to expire on the 19th of August and sent it to the PSB for processing.
The ugly side now comes,which continues to glare and prove that all chinese are the same liars unreliable and bad managers. Due to the fact that they had contact more than enough teachers and unexpectedly all of them arrived with no issues or problems of visas expiring,bluniverse decided to quit hiring this so called American.
I mean there is nothing bad in that,china has enough opportunities for expats,but the bad thing here is that they refused to go and retrieve this guys passport from the PSB, they left it hanging. Meaning the visa expired right on the table of PSB angry huh undecided
This American has had so many job offers and has gone to the PSB with different school administrators to see the possibility of getting the passport out and renewing it,but the PSB says its still has all the documents of Bluniverse with it,they have to come with a written note stating clearly they dont intend to hire him and pay the outstanding fine for refusing to process his visa and for allowing his visa to expire.
All efforts has being made by this american and concerned people to intervene and get the boss of bluniverse to go and collect this passport out,but he seems unfetted,not bothered and now seems inaccessible,i know some of our expats work with him,BIG YELLOW as they call him,i hope you can intervene and talk to your boss whom am sure you see on a regular basis,so as to allow this young american make a new start.
Well thats another note for you guys working with him and remember that you are not different or in any way special not to receive similar treatment from BIG YELLOW. BE ON GUARD AND DO SOMETHING "
If you are in anyway involved with Bluniverse I strongly advise you to take care. The school is run by liars and WILL try and take you for a ride. They will offer you many things in your contract, but, at the end of the day you will have to fight for anything you are lucky enough to get out of them.
They will try and gouge you for everything they can get out of you. There are quite a few teachers of late leaving the school due to broken contracts and so on, and unfortunately it appears to only be getting worse.
They have no hesitation in breaking a contract or trying to coerce you into doing something you shouldn't have to do - and they will look you in the eyes and tell you that they will not adhere to the contract as it is a "special circumstance".
Remember that you will be living in China, where your options to pursue what you are entitled to are somewhat limited (or non-existent). So if you are involved in any way with this school, or are thinking about working for these people - be very carefull!!!!!!
I also warn folks from getting involved with Bluniverse. I was a teacher there, but quit. Here are some issues:
Bluniverse used a school for the blind and deaf to get some free publicity, and when the cameras where off, they abandoned the students after promising to give them classes.
The school held a province wide speech competition. The TEFL teachers as judges where told who was supposed to win. Even then, when the outcome was not what the boss wanted, he changed the results and discarded the original scoring documents. Students with China Mobile execs for parents and relatives as headmasters where chosen as winners in most cases.
Some teachers had the experience of strangers going into there apartments while they where gone and even when they where home. The school ignored complaints.
The school lies constantly.
They are racist. I heard more than once black and Asian American teachers being told they couldn't get the job because the school only wants white teachers only.
They will also withhold money promised in the contract.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL!!!
i had the opportunity to be offered a job in bluniverse and yes, i've met yellow. first impression? a sad, angry chinese. anyways, he seemed okay though. we talked and he took me to the training center. before leaving my homeplace, a staff from bluniverse told me that there are other foriegn teachers coming in and i'd be the last one to arrive hefei. i don't know if she told me that just to have me come to hefei asap. she also told me that i'd be assigned to another branch but i have to pass by their main office first. i never had any doubt and believed everything that they said. after a day of travel from my homeplace to hefei. i was scheduled to have a class 8 am the next day, didn't really expect it though coz i was informed that we will have a day or two for training/orientation but i guess i had no choice but to stick to the schedule. was surprised that all the other teachers never talked about the new teachers that I was supposed to work with and i never met even one of those new teachers that the HR staff was talking about. later that day, when i got into the apartment, it was a disaster. old, ugly sheets and broken toilet among others.was also confused why i have an apartment and class schedule at hefei when i was supposed to work at another branch.but still i came to class the next day, i didn't really have any problem with the students, they're diligent, attentive and respectful however i had to leave the school because some things just didn't feel right. i was informed that they will spend for my Visa processing since i still have to go to hongkong for it and it should cost a lot but then when i got to talk to one of their foreign teachers i found out that all the expenses were deducted from his salary which basically left him with few yuans to spend for the month. i don't expect the management to give me special treatment and have them spend for my visa as promised.
Here's another comment courtesy of the forum on "www.aacircle.com.au"....
Avoid Bluniverse like the plague. Until recently, I was in regular contact with Bluniverse to organize my employment.
Among many things, I was guaranteed a 5 day working week and was told I would not be required to be within the school outside class times.
The shock came when I landed in Hefei. They had the nerve to tell me AFTER I flew in from the other side of world that I would now have to work 6 days a week, and stay in the office 8 hours a day!!!
Now, I have few years of experience in the ESL game, and know what questions to ask and how to ask them. I know this wasn't just a case of miscommunication. They LIED to get me there, and I assume, they expected me to stay as I spent a good deal of time and money to get there!
Fortunately, I have worked in China before and know that ESL teachers are in demand here. Needless to say, I left on the first available train out of Hefei.
Stay well clear of this school. Bluniverse is bad news!!!
Here's another comment courtesy of the forum on "www.aacircle.com.au"....
Avoid Bluniverse like the plague. Until recently, I was in regular contact with Bluniverse to organize my employment.
Among many things, I was guaranteed a 5 day working week and was told I would not be required to be within the school outside class times.
The shock came when I landed in Hefei. They had the nerve to tell me AFTER I flew in from the other side of world that I would now have to work 6 days a week, and stay in the office 8 hours a day!!!
Now, I have few years of experience in the ESL game, and know what questions to ask and how to ask them. I know this wasn't just a case of miscommunication. They LIED to get me there, and I assume, they expected me to stay as I spent a good deal of time and money to get there!
Fortunately, I have worked in China before and know that ESL teachers are in demand here. Needless to say, I left on the first available train out of Hefei.
Stay well clear of this school. Bluniverse is bad news!!!
Post a Comment