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Justifying high salary to lower paid local colleagues..

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  1. #21

    I feel like I am missing something here.... supply and demand ?
    The day your job can be done cheaper by a local, then there is something for them to (possibly) complain about.
    But as your job is teaching English, I don't think a local Hong Konger will ever be able to successfully replace a NET.


  2. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by justjoe86:
    It's not irrational or racist. They simply make more money when they employ foreigners, so they employ them.
    Yes but in most of these cases, the word 'Foreigner' means white ... even if you're from a non English speaking country, its a-ok !

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by SiuMaiTaiTai:
    Yes but in most of these cases, the word 'Foreigner' means white ... even if you're from a non English speaking country, its a-ok !
    It's still not irrational or racist. Perhaps the parents are to blame for assuming that a white person is more suitable to teach their kids. The employers will always make decisions based on profit.

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by SiuMaiTaiTai:
    But as your job is teaching English, I don't think a local Hong Konger will ever be able to successfully replace a NET.
    You're wrong.

    Language capabilities is one thing, but language alone does not make you a good teacher.

    Some locals may not have the prefect accent but may have better teaching skills...

    There are a loads of crap NET teachers who do not really deserve to be called teachers if you ask (there are also loads of excellent NET teachers, dont get me wrong)...they get away with it by bieng "white" --- that is the reality.

  5. #25

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    I think we have to assume that Bryant brings something to the table that the locals don't, and the consensus seems to be that it is his white face. There are certainly plenty of good English teachers with Asian faces, but I think we also know that there are some terrible English teachers who are not native speakers (like the 'million dollar' English tutor who was sued by his school - and who insisted on the Court Proceedings being conducted in Cantonese because he didn't understand English well enough). Perhaps it simply reinforces the prejudice of the locals but clearly, Bryant's presence makes his employers more money, ergo, he is paid more.


  6. #26

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    It's the same as why the main actor gets paid millions, while the other staff get's paid 1/10th of the main actor. The movie can't be made without the light guy, the stage guy and the hundreds of other staff, but it's the main star that sells the movie thus the big pay.


  7. #27

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    Bryant, there are plenty of people around these forums earning twice as much as you and working less hours. How do you justify this? Do you hold a grudge against these people?

    Sent from my LT15i using GeoClicks Mobile


  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    Bryant, there are plenty of people around these forums earning twice as much as you and working less hours. How do you justify this? Do you hold a grudge against these people?

    Sent from my LT15i using GeoClicks Mobile
    Well, we don't live in a perfect market, but that is not an accurate analogy.

    In Bryant's case, we have an employer behaving rationally due to the (possibly irrational) belief of the market that a white face provides better service, even though, presumably, Bryant's collegues are just as talented/capable (assumption). From the perspective of his fellow teachers, there is clearly a fairness issue; however the behavior on the part of the employer appears rational. But, apparently, Bryant's white face has market power.

    The issue of why English teachers get paid less than partners at law firms certainly has more to do with simple supply and demand.
    luckycat likes this.

  9. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    You're wrong.

    Language capabilities is one thing, but language alone does not make you a good teacher.

    Some locals may not have the prefect accent but may have better teaching skills...

    There are a loads of crap NET teachers who do not really deserve to be called teachers if you ask (there are also loads of excellent NET teachers, dont get me wrong)...they get away with it by bieng "white" --- that is the reality.
    Yes obviously, but putting 2 candidates against each who are both qualified and experienced to teach English, with one being non native and one being native who do you think will be paid more ?

  10. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by justjoe86:
    It's still not irrational or racist. Perhaps the parents are to blame for assuming that a white person is more suitable to teach their kids. The employers will always make decisions based on profit.
    You don't think its silly/irrational/racist that certain education centers will hire say a French person who is white over a English person who is Indian to teach English? Say assuming both are unqualified to make it fairer.
    I understand it from the employers perspective and even from the parents perspective but it is what it is !
    luckycat and Ramdom like this.

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