So, which is it: is your pay based on your performance (which Berlitz argues allows “high performers” to benefit), or is it based on the company’s financial performance?
Of course it’s the latter – and this is always the case.
Performance is a smoke and mirrors game which makes you think you’re being paid based on evaluation – but, in reality, your increase is simply based on the size of the pie.
However, because you never get to know the size of the pie, you also never get to know if your “evaluation” is honestly giving you the slice you deserve.
On the other hand, pay based on negotiation starts from clearly figuring out the company’s ability to provide pay increases (and this doesn’t always mean whether the company is in the red or black), and then negotiating the amount of increase from that position.
Berlitz may very well be facing tough financial times, but instead of bowing down to a new cockamamie pay increase system based on customer evaluations (eCFF) (which some instructors who teach kids and out-services don’t even get), we need to demand that Berlitz open up the books and pay an across the board pay increase based on their ability to pay and instructors’ needs for a pay increase.
This is the only way we can guarantee that – even in lean times – everyone is going forward.
At ECC, even while the company claimed 2017 was not a good year, we were still able to win an equal pay increase for all.
Let’s not stall on trying to improve a bad system based on a rigged evaluation process.
We can get stuck forever trying to fix this new pay increase system while the pay increase train passes by.
Based on our union annual general meeting, we will soon be making demands for an across the board pay increase for all contract types – and we hope you’ll join in making sure everyone is treated fairly.
If they have some money for this new scheme, it means they have some money available for all instructors.
Don’t let Berlitz judge your worth!
Join the union and demand negotiations over your pay on equal terms.