ESL Teachers' Strike Cancels English Classes in Vancouver

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vec-teachers-strike-1.3707963 Aug 04, 2016 "I felt really bad about having to do this [to the students]," said Kim Fissel, interim president of ETEA Local 9 and a teacher at the school for the last four years. "It's a very extreme movement, but unfortunately, it's what we had to do." The school issued a notice to its students on Tuesday informing them of the strike. In place of classes, the school is offering students "a wide variety of leisure and sightseeing activities" in and around Vancouver, as well as four days of free tuition for each day of classes missed due to the strike. Fissel said the activities are being facilitated by school administrative staff, and that some students have been asked to volunteer as well. Fissel said students have been told that the school is negotiating with the teachers, but that no such negotiations have happened since the strike began. "We haven't heard a word from them," Fissel said. "We would definitely rather be teaching, because it's not that fun to be on the street waving at cars and getting honked at." CBC News contacted VEC for comment, but the school was not able to make anyone available by deadline. Fissel said VEC's teachers are seeking a fair living wage comparable to other schools the union represents. She said the starting wage at VEC is $18 an hour for teachers in the adult ESL program, where other schools represented by the union pay $20 or $21 an hour. She said teachers in the school's ESL program for children make even less — between $12 and $14 an hour. Fissel said the median income for VEC teachers is $25,000. The union also wants its teachers to be paid for the extra prep time they put in outside of class time. Fissel said that, on average, VEC teachers put in an additional 10 to 20 per cent of unpaid hours in prep work a week — about three to five hours a week. Fissel said students have been supportive of the teachers, and that many were "horrified" to learn how little their teachers make.

EF is Expanding Rapidly by Exploiting Teachers. See Job Description Where A Lot is Demanded for Very Little Pay in Expensive City (San Francisco)

Look at all that is expected of a teacher at about $20/hr. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/edu/5725980874.html EF Education First is the world's largest private education company. EF has over 43,000 employees with schools and offices in over 100 countries. RESPONSIBILITIES (a lot of which go unpaid): •Teach a minimum of 24 classroom hours per week as directed by the academic office Deliver high quality, student-centered classes. You will be expected to teach four main types of classes: oGeneral English following our Efekta curriculum oFull-time Cambridge Exam Preparation (CAE, FCE, CPE) and/or TOEFL elective classes oAdvanced Business English following an established curriculum oOther Special Interest and/or Lecture classes •Develop and implement individual and group projects in Business English classes in order for students to gain practical, relevant real-world business skills preparing them for a global career •Assist with the development of the Business English class syllabi •Complete all required administrative work for your classes accurately and on time •Prepare materials and resources relevant to your classes including but not limited to: handouts, quizzes, tests and assignments as need for each lesson. •Coach students with developing and reaching specific and achievable short and long term learning goals •Educate students on the many EF resources available to them including various classes/programs offered in the school, online learning resources and progress tracker, etc. •Provide exceptional customer service by assisting students with general questions about the school and/or city, directing them to the applicable school department when necessary •Actively participate in teacher meetings and professional development activities •Welcome new colleagues and assist with mentoring of new teachers including sharing resources and best practices •Be involved in the development and execution of school-wide activities and events such as student orientations, graduation ceremonies, testing, extracurricular activities, etc

EF Job Posting Boasts of How Company is Taking Over the World, But Says Nothing About Wages, Benefits or Job Security. Could it Be Because They're Dismal?

From: https://www.jobs.ie/ApplyForJob.aspx?Id=1528440 "EF Education First is an international education company focusing on language, academics and cultural experience. EF’s mission is “opening the world through education”. So far we have helped over 15 million people learn a language, discover the world or earn an academic degree. We have fifteen subsidiaries and non-profit organizations, 500 schools and offices in over 53 countries and employ over 40,500 staff and teachers."

EF International Found in Violation as per Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education

In 2015, EF International Language Schools was issued a citation (Citation 1415064) from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppe.ca.gov). Violation: 5, CCR 74110 (a-d) -Annual Report "(a) The annual report required by section 94934 of the Code shall include the information required by section 94934 for all educational programs offered in the prior calendar year. (b) In addition to the information required by section 94934 provided under penalty of perjury, the institution shall have annual financial statements prepared for the institution's prior fiscal year and signed under penalty of perjury, and shall submit a hard copy under separate cover of such statements in conjunction with its annual report. The form, content and mode of preparation of financial statements shall comply with section 74115 of this Division. The Bureau may request that the institution immediately make available for inspection to a representative ofthe Bureau, these financial statements at the offices of the institution. (c) An institution shall file its annual report by September 1st. The Bureau may extend the period for filing if the institution demonstrates evidence of substantial need but in no case longer than 60 days. The institution shall not change the date of its filing its annual report because of a change in the fiscal year without the Bureau's approval. (d) The annual report shall be electronically filed by submitting the information required by section 94934 ofthe Code via the Bureau's website, electronically attaching, as directed, the School Performance Fact Sheet and the school catalog. An institution without the capability to submit the information electronically shall inform the Bureau not less than 45 days prior to the date the information is required by subdivision (cJ and receive direction on alternative means of submission." CEC 94934(a)(1-9)- Annual Report "(a) As part of the compliance program, an institution shall submit an annual report to the bureau, under penalty of perjury, signed by a responsible corporate officer, by July 1 of each year, or another date designated by the bureau, and it shall include the following information for educational programs offered in the reporting period: (1) The total number of students enrolled by level of degree or for a diploma. {2} The number of degrees, by level, and diplomas awarded. (3) The degree levels and diplomas offered. (4) The Student Performance Fact Sheet, as required pursuant to Section 94910. (5) The school catalog, as required pursuant to Section 94909. {6) The total charges for each educational program by period of attendance. (7) A statement indicating whether the institution is, or is not, current in remitting Student Tuition Recovery Fund assessments. {8) A statement indicating whether an accrediting agency has taken any final disciplinary action against the institution. {9) Additional information deemed by the bureau to be reasonably required to ascertain compliance with this chapter."

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