Day of Action to Support Teachers At The Overseas Teacher

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***DAY OF ACTION TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AT THE OVERSEAS TEACHER***

 

What: Teachers at The Overseas Teacher are taking the company to employment tribunal to challenge their self-employed status. We are asking supporters to email the bosses at The Overseas Teacher as well as at ADM-Computing, which owns The Overseas Teacher.

When: Tuesday 24th November, all day.

What to do: Please send the email below to the following email addresses:
james.kitch [at] theoverseasteacher [dot] com
carl.king [at] theoverseasteacher [dot] com
support [at] adm-computing [dot] co [dot] uk
Daniel.Ibbertson [at] adm-computing [dot] co [dot] uk

Please note: All of the email addresses we are asking you to contact are publicly available. If, for some reason, you have other associated email addresses do not email them as part of this campaign

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Dear James, Carl, and Daniel.
I’m writing you to express my shock that you were employing online English teachers in such terrible conditions. No one should be fined because they are sick or chastised for not smiling enough or drinking water during a lesson.
It’s unacceptable to tell teachers they will be paid for 30 minutes for each lesson and then change your mind and tell that, despite the fact they’re booked for 30 minute slots, they’re only going to be paid for 25.
You cannot shirk your responsibilities by blaming another company. You may have chosen to work with Dada, but you don’t get to blame Dada for the bad working conditions inside your company.
You claim your teachers are ‘self-employed’. My understanding is that the majority of your teachers are idealistic young people. They are not independent teachers who’ve chosen to set up their own business. They are trained by the Overseas Teacher. They get their students from the Overseas Teacher. The Overseas Teacher decides the terms of the contracts and their rates of pay.
The Overseas Teacher exploited their idealism, paying them only the minimum for their age, only to then turn around and fine them for being sick or late to a lesson. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
I’m asking you to do the right thing: recognise your teachers as employees, pay them the holiday they’re owed, and re-imburse them for the immoral and exploitative fines you charged them.

I stand with teachers at the Overseas Teacher and if any future actions are called to support them, I’ll be taking part.
Sincerely,
[name]