Day 68

Arnie Schwarzenegger moment,
"I'll be Bach"

Our first day of school in our new home seemed to go well although not hugely productive.  It was interrupted by various workmen fixing or checking various issues... Frustrating for me but a treat for the children to have so many breaks! Walking (or more like slipping and sliding on the icy slush) to meet daddy for lunch was very exciting for them and I think they made Ray look particularly cool amongst students and staff as they were dressed as Alice (from wonderland!), Spider-Man and Rapunzel! 

The delivery of our new piano was an extra special highlight of the day! Music lessons here we come!

Ali

Apologies in continuing the saga, but we feel it is important to update those that are interested in how the developments through recent turmoil are going and to anyone who might be considering coming to NU who would benefit from some insight.

There were a low number of people who refused to sign the residential contract on Saturday and turns out a greater number of people who refused to sign a few years ago. But today the universities separate entity for dealing with foreign staff found a way to get their own back. Today it was announced that the foreign staff would get their 20% pay rise to get back in line with pre-devaluation of the tenge. But in order to get this you have to sign all forms, including the residential agreement, and accept a new social policy contract (basically the benefits). In the benefits a lot of perks are downsized. They have cut travelling anywhere in the world for your holiday and restricted to only flying back to the country of origin. Not a major problem for us, but would have been nice to use the same cash value to fly somewhere else. So it is a bit silly of the university to change that. In the new contract it now stipulates that the accommodation provided is not considered large, so just bring your toothbrush! They actually said bare essentials, so a change of socks might also fit.

Turns out that the residential contract also stipulates that the tenants are liable for any wear and tear and by signing this contract we have empowered this organisation to access our pay, without any ability to oppose and challenge their charges.

And just to make the foreign staff feel a part of this dynamic university by taking some perks away, they say that if you are a vice-Dean and above and your flight is over 5 hours, including any stopover waits, then you are entitled to business class seats. And your spouse / partner and any dependants too. So essentially it feels like a “stuff you little people, you are not important enough” mentality. This borders insanity. They don’t want staff to abuse their contracts by taking these perks away, they say that money is low and they struggle to find funds for awarded research projects, and then splash out on many thousands per flight for their senior management team.

Oh, should add that if anyone from NU senior management team happens to be reading this, I hope you see the hypocrisy of these events and the growing despair in the lower ranks. Perhaps this is by design? I have no real problem with senior staff flying long distance having a nicer seat, though any staff travelling long distance for work should be given this too. I would also be fine that it is a perk for holidays for senior staff, but then you really should not be disclosing these perks to the rest of us. And then giving the business class benefit to their whole family too!

As you might imagine, there is a growing concern within the lower echelons of staff. We have a number of champions who are trying to fight this, but the top down directives are difficult to disperse.

As for the kitchen, well it will be a long struggle to fight the allocation. I am still in awe at the incredulousness of a manager who thought that designing a small kitchen in a “larger” apartment and having a “larger” kitchen in a small apartment would be perfectly acceptable. Was also told today that an oven not screwed into the kitchen unit is perfectly acceptable too as you have to deliberately pull at it to move it.

There’s only so far the excuse of “we’re a new university” can cover the mistakes being made and in ten years time when I look back, I hope it will be with detached fondness or exasperated glee.

Ray