The Papayas are always looking for ways to cut the Peasants' KKJs and lengthen their own. What's their ulterior motive?
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Leave review: Poly lecturers cry foul
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Many quit higher-paying jobs just for 42 days' leave; leave set to be cut in bid to offer better total package </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jane Ng
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->
POLYTECHNIC lecturers are upset that their annual leave may soon be cut.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story --><STYLE type=text/css> #related .quote {background-color:#E7F7FF; padding:8px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;} #related .quote .headline {font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;font-weight:bold; border-bottom:3px double #007BFF; color:#036; text-transform:uppercase; padding-bottom:5px;} #related .quote .text {font-size:11px;color:#036;padding:5px 0px;} </STYLE>Why the change and who's affected
The 42-day leave scheme is a legacy of the 1960s.
The current review is intended to produce a 'compelling career pathway' and 'attractive pay package', says Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal Chia Mia Chiang, who chairs the review committee. Annual leave is just one aspect of the package.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Ironically, the proposed leave cut is part of a review meant to make a career in the polytechnics more attractive.
The review will revise and align salary scales and career development paths for staff in five polytechnics.
Annual leave for academic staff, which now stands at 42 days, will be reconsidered as part of the review.
The polytechnics would not say why they are reviewing the annual leave but lecturers, many of whom quit higher- paying jobs to join the polytechnics precisely because of the longer vacation time, are up in arms.
Some lecturers said that during focus- group discussions, the new number of leave days being bandied about was 21 to 28 days.
But Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal Chia Mia Chiang, who chairs the review committee, dismissed this, saying leave 'will not be halved to 21 days'. He declined to give further details.
All told, there are 2,800 teaching staff at the polytechnics who will be affected if leave is cut, excluding the 700 at Republic Poly, who already get just 21 days. Non-teaching staff at these institutions get 21 days of leave.
The 42-day leave scheme is a legacy of the 1960s.
In remarks to The Straits Times, MrChia gave the assurance that the aim of the review was to come up with a 'compelling career pathway' and 'attractive pay package' and that annual leave was just one aspect of the package.
The review, he said, 'is necessary to ensure that our compensation and career development framework remains competitive'.
He said final details could be expected in three months' time.
Turning to the issue of leave, he said: 'Annual leave alone is not going to attract or not attract staff.'
Not so, say lecturers, who feel their leave is more important than any increase in pay.
Most upset are those with families, especially young children, who value the extra time off work.
A woman lecturer in her late 30s who has two children said she left her previous job at a bank to join a poly because of the 42 days of leave.
The long vacation meant she would have more time with her daughters.
'Taking away this perk will make me rethink my choice. I took a big pay cut to teach at the poly so I could spend more time with my family,' she said.
One 32-year-old lecturer has resigned rather than accept a shorter leave period.
'It's a raw deal. People in other jobs have 21 days but they can take it at almost any time of the year. But in the poly, we're limited to the students' holidays.'
Lecturers say it is not possible to take extended periods of leave during the semester, when lessons are ongoing. So they usually take them during the polytechnic holidays.
While most are dead set against a cut, some lecturers, such as Mr Adrian Er, 33, who teaches at Ngee Ann Poly's business school, said a leave reduction would be painful, but most would eventually come round to it.
Still, he hopes the leave cut will not be too drastic.
'I think that 30 days will go down better with most of us,' he said. [email protected]
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Leave review: Poly lecturers cry foul
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Many quit higher-paying jobs just for 42 days' leave; leave set to be cut in bid to offer better total package </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jane Ng
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->
POLYTECHNIC lecturers are upset that their annual leave may soon be cut.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story --><STYLE type=text/css> #related .quote {background-color:#E7F7FF; padding:8px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;} #related .quote .headline {font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;font-weight:bold; border-bottom:3px double #007BFF; color:#036; text-transform:uppercase; padding-bottom:5px;} #related .quote .text {font-size:11px;color:#036;padding:5px 0px;} </STYLE>Why the change and who's affected
The 42-day leave scheme is a legacy of the 1960s.
The current review is intended to produce a 'compelling career pathway' and 'attractive pay package', says Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal Chia Mia Chiang, who chairs the review committee. Annual leave is just one aspect of the package.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Ironically, the proposed leave cut is part of a review meant to make a career in the polytechnics more attractive.
The review will revise and align salary scales and career development paths for staff in five polytechnics.
Annual leave for academic staff, which now stands at 42 days, will be reconsidered as part of the review.
The polytechnics would not say why they are reviewing the annual leave but lecturers, many of whom quit higher- paying jobs to join the polytechnics precisely because of the longer vacation time, are up in arms.
Some lecturers said that during focus- group discussions, the new number of leave days being bandied about was 21 to 28 days.
But Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal Chia Mia Chiang, who chairs the review committee, dismissed this, saying leave 'will not be halved to 21 days'. He declined to give further details.
All told, there are 2,800 teaching staff at the polytechnics who will be affected if leave is cut, excluding the 700 at Republic Poly, who already get just 21 days. Non-teaching staff at these institutions get 21 days of leave.
The 42-day leave scheme is a legacy of the 1960s.
In remarks to The Straits Times, MrChia gave the assurance that the aim of the review was to come up with a 'compelling career pathway' and 'attractive pay package' and that annual leave was just one aspect of the package.
The review, he said, 'is necessary to ensure that our compensation and career development framework remains competitive'.
He said final details could be expected in three months' time.
Turning to the issue of leave, he said: 'Annual leave alone is not going to attract or not attract staff.'
Not so, say lecturers, who feel their leave is more important than any increase in pay.
Most upset are those with families, especially young children, who value the extra time off work.
A woman lecturer in her late 30s who has two children said she left her previous job at a bank to join a poly because of the 42 days of leave.
The long vacation meant she would have more time with her daughters.
'Taking away this perk will make me rethink my choice. I took a big pay cut to teach at the poly so I could spend more time with my family,' she said.
One 32-year-old lecturer has resigned rather than accept a shorter leave period.
'It's a raw deal. People in other jobs have 21 days but they can take it at almost any time of the year. But in the poly, we're limited to the students' holidays.'
Lecturers say it is not possible to take extended periods of leave during the semester, when lessons are ongoing. So they usually take them during the polytechnic holidays.
While most are dead set against a cut, some lecturers, such as Mr Adrian Er, 33, who teaches at Ngee Ann Poly's business school, said a leave reduction would be painful, but most would eventually come round to it.
Still, he hopes the leave cut will not be too drastic.
'I think that 30 days will go down better with most of us,' he said. [email protected]