Can I have a bitch about Taiwneese working life?
So my girflfirend has recently started a new job. She is working as a coordinator/translator/ assistant/ bla bla to some of the high level management at a very large company here in Kaohsiung. I don’t want to name names as they have some foreign management who could well be on here (you never know).
The role is challenging, stressful and tiring for only NT$23000 per month. That’s fine, she knew that before she signed on the dotted line. What she didn’t anticipate was the amount of extra unpaid effort that is required. For instance every day after her contractual clocking off time she has to attend a meeting. Many times she has to wait for the senior management and people in Taipei to come online before the meeting can start. On occasions these meetings have lasted over 2 hours – all unpaid. Furthermore the definition of “lunchbreak” is being stretched to a 10 minute rush to the restaurant and then back to your desk. There is no written rule but everyone in the office feels obliged to do this.
My own situation is not nearly as bad as this but it is still starting to grate with me. When I first started at my school everything was hunky-dory and not a problem. However after a few weeks the demands and pressures expected of me are steadily increasing. There is also a certain level of ambiguity where I am left without a clear answer to my questions. For instance this Saturday I need to attend a school party. In my contract is says that I will get paid for a list of events throughout the year. This event is not on the list. When asked the management simply state “we are looking into it”. I have also been allocated 2 hours for demo classes but I have been assigned 5 30 mins classes. Of course this doesn’t add up and my suggestion that I will be cutting the classes down to 24 mins each to fit in the allocated time caused some unrest.
I really don’t know what to do or say regarding the situation here in Taiwan. I guess that everyone must suffer like this. I understand that the country is a “tiger” economy and has grown from a relatively poor state to become one of the best economy’s in Asia but whatever happened to a fair days work for a fair days pay?
Rant over.