So I'm a full time teaching assistant at this private international university, which is part of a big conglomerate (some of their subsidiaries include X School, X University, X car, X mart, X resort, X theme park etc). They gave us teaching assistants a “service contract” instead of a labour one. The difference is that on this contract they are not obligated to pay into our national medical insurance or social insurance (social insurance is responsible for paying us women maternity benefits and eventually retirement). Some of my main concerns are:
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Nowhere in our contract does it say how long we're supposed to work, nor the fact that we're “full-time” staffs (or “service provider” if we're going by technicality). The job description says we're working an EQUIVALENT of 44 hours a week, which I interpret as doing a 44 hours WORTH of work a week. However, we are required to come to this office 44 hours a week, so full week days and 1 full Saturday every other week. But we're TAs. For now I only have classes 2 days a week. So most of my time at this office I'm just doing my own thing or Youtube and would much rather being able to do this at home, but apparently in order to work from home we need approval from the University president. But arent we service providers, not staffs?
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So all their employees and “collaborators” will have to take a code of conduct exam. Failing this will lead to a 1/3 monthly income deduction. And according to the people who have already taken this exam online, its not just things like dont take bribes and dont date students. It includes questions about the conglomerate president's passion project X car as well. Is this ethical to deduct income from their “service providers” when we're not even working for X car, we're with X University??
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They are INTENSE about tech use. Apparently CCing the wrong people, addressing people wrong in emails, having files in the desktop of your work laptop etc will get you the 1/3 monthly income deduction too. Gosiping related misdemeanours (screenshoting teams messages etc) will get you fired? I noticed a clause in my contract that doesnt permit salary transparency). Again, we're service providers and I'm fully prepared to raise hell if they tried this on me.
All advices greatly appreciated.