Saturday 24 July 2010

The ADWC sackings - a victim writes...

One of the unfortunate victims of 'the June purge' at ADWC has kindly offered to put his side of the story. I wonder if the ADWC management will oblige and report their side of the business?

Let me give you a taste of how it was done on the days we got fired. The way the spineless bastards did it was to have the very nice HR assistant go about the college and tell us, on a 15-minute or so rotation, that "Dr. Dave" wanted to see us. A chuckle went through some of our minds as some, if all, had never, personally, met him before and he was frequently absent from campus or holed up in his glass-surrounded office.

On the first day, they got three of us. Our notification was that it was to be considered a "General Interest" termination due to the "New Foundations" rollout. Of course, we knew that it was unadulterated bullshit. Not liking to do overtime was likely the deciding factor for many if not all, as refusal to do required overtime is considered treason at ADWC. Overtime should be voluntary, but when you can’t reach staffing levels because of a bizarre system where the whim of T.K. is over-riding in recruitment or enough people have been warned off (I know who warned off a person who had been offered the Ed Tech supervisor’s position), then it becomes a mandatory requirement of employment at the ADWC

The really sad thing is that a colleague and fellow Khalifa campus exile had met up with another the second morning in the "library" to share his regrets. Talk about being philosophical was discussed, and hands were shook as the unwary colleague wandered on into the information session that was being held about the New Foundations that morning. It was only the next day that it was discovered that he had received the axe that day as well... so total was the shock and awe of the day(s).

I can't say that any of the fired teachers had anything to do with
the infamous blog, but if it was, then it shows the spineless nature and paranoia of the highest levels of ADWC mismanagement as it is unthinkable to fire innocent professionals that have been found guilty in a star chamber and not given a fair chance by either proving their guilt or allowing them to disprove the allegations against them.

More importantly, all of this came as the culmination of a year of COMPLETE mismanagement and ABSOLUTE DISREGARD for the professional teaching staff. First, by teaching staff returning to find all of our professional tools thrown into cardboard boxes even though there was two weeks between the time they returned and the starting teaching, and then by going downhill from there. The exiling of staff to Khalifa without it being ready for start-up and other policy discussions that had gone on was the breaking point for many.

There’s only one way for the ADWC to go from now on. It’s doubtful that the new director who was hired after the farce of a “director” who presided over the sinking ship and was sent packing to Fujairah, can do much to redeem the reputation of what used to be a great place to work.

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can anybody confirm the info/rumor I heard just yesterday that the dismissed teachers at ADWC were ALL denied NOCs? If so - for what reason?

Anonymous said...

Vindicitive(ness)?

Anonymous said...

Speaking as one of the teachers who were dismissed - yes we were - and also treatred by criminals by Steve and his cronies!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and this is the first time I've contributed in any way to any blog on the UAE, HCT or anything else. These people are deeply inadequate, vicious idiots, and I for one am out of the Middle East for ever, it seems to attract this kind of scum

Anonymous said...

7.49 should read 'treated as criminals' of course

Anonymous said...

I too was one of the 'victims' but I was offered a NOC. Go figure. Also, there was an attempt to control our (the victims) access to the college by requiring us to sign in with security and be escorted by a guard wherever we went. But this was never implemented, at least in my case. Perhaps it was too embarrassing for all concerned, or too much trouble given that there were 7 of us, plus the yet to be fired support staff. I talked with Steve, actually it was more of a rant, and I expressed outrage at the way the sackings were handled. I also pointed to the glass walls emblazoned with words like 'openness, integrity, etc,' and accused HCT management of lacking both. He seemed to agree. I suggested that the honorable (honourable?) thing to do was for the responsible ADWC management to either quit on the spot or admit they lacked integrity and were only in it for the money. He didn't disagree. Another slogan etched into the glass walls is 'student centered' and I again ranted at Steve that this was an absolute lie. The truth was more like 'management centered' with no concern for students and an extreme concern for appearances, events, and bogus quality statistics with which to impress hesn and the vc. I am aware that some of you out there may be able figure out who I am. I don't care, just give me some respect and keep quiet. I have never been treated in such a shabby fashion. The people (or person!) behind all of this should be ashamed and embarrassed. I will never return to the UAE. The best outcome was that I never got a national ID card and will never have to.

Anonymous said...

You always had my respect. That's why I would always make a point of stopping by your desk when allowed to "visit". ;)

Anonymous said...

Oh"One of the Victims", you sound altogether too feisty! My RAK experience was that CLW doesn't like feisty ones, especially if there's a danger of that feistiness bypassing her / going over her head. I bet she sacked you when the Director wasn't around. This is her typical strategy to try to create a controlling position for herself, so when the Director comes back she has consolidated her position. It happened to me. I know.
Lamb of RAK

Khalifa Exile said...

Ha! ... "glass walls emblazoned with words like 'openness', 'integrity', etc,"
... That's just words - in fact, they're advertising the very qualities that they lack!

Well, they couldn't really put up the correct words such as 'duplicity' and 'arrogance', could they?!

Anonymous said...

If'n the "HCT sucks" as a system, the ADWC is, hands-down, it's "blow-hole"!

Jones the Baptist said...

And the Men's College isn't far behind, brother. Keep an eye out for a detailed expose of Dr Simon Jones and his 'Taffyban' system of college management at ADMC - the new 'Taffghanistan'!!

Poodle Pelham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Poodle Pelham said...

Yes, I've heard about the retarded Osimon bin Jones-Laden. Isn't he the deluded one who believes he captains a "happy ship" at ADMC? Poor soul!!

Anonymous said...

Well, here we are almost in mid-August and HCT are STILL advertising for teachers! Take a look here:

http://www.tefl.com/jobs/job.html?jo_id=43820

Desperate, or what?!

Anonymous said...

WOW - get your application in for ADWC and meet the management menagerie - Steve the human snake, Dmitri the despicable slug, the Claw (no body, just the claw),Jo Probert the stool pigeon et al.!

Anonymous said...

Is Osimon still sporting that rather odd brown dralon suit that makes him look uncannily like an otter?
He must have appreciated suede's lubrication.

Khalifa Exile said...

Surely you're not suggesting that SO is none other than Dr Jones' personal Baptist, Anonymous?

Lawks a-mercy!!

Suede Oasis said...

A little wide of the mark, the above is. But I'll give you all a clue: sandals.

Hope that helps.

Anonymous said...

SO is Tubby the Kamel?

I KNEW that he was at the bottom. of everything!

Bottom of the barrel, bottom-feeder, HESN bottom-kisser, etc, etc, etc

Anonymous said...

Oh come on...who's going to finally expose the most evil of them all...she who rules ADM with the brownest nose? She's got more of Tubby's **** on her nose than all the Andrex in Carrefour!

Anonymous said...

My God, who COULD that possib;y be...??!!!

Anonymous said...

Not let me think.....erm, ah, yes, easy!

Anonymous said...

OK, OK, I'm stumped, at least give some initials, if not the name.

hybrasil said...

Well, at least nowadays you can blog about it. Back in the day, when the most appalling stuf went on (I'm not --only--- talking about HCT; this kind of thing is endemic to the Gulf region. One of the posters said it: '{the Gulf} seems to attract this kind of scum') there was nowhere to turn. If you spoke about how things really were, even your 'best friends' (Gulf-style) weren't speaking to you the next day, or ever again. The name of the game was 'Blame-the-Victim', and it seems nothing's changed. But at least you guys got some support, even privately. Maybe there's a better quality of person around these days; back then, anyone who was victimised --didn't have to be sexual---was really on his/her own.

Anonymous said...

Initials? My money's on someone with an extra initial ;-)..double-barrelled..isn't that what you call in in UK? So he's got a double-barrelled in ADW and one in ADM....both doing same kinda work for him!

Anonymous said...

The double-barrelled brown-noser at the Men's College is none other than that long-haired and very middle-aged women who, when she was merely teaching at the WOmen's college, proved to be SUCH a fine and popular teacher that her students composed a website in her, erm . . . 'honour', if you get my drift.

She was clearly such an excellent performer in the classroom that she moved away into what passes for 'management' at the Men's college.

Anonymous said...

Is that website still live? Would love to see it! Then I'll know if I have the correct double-barrelled b/noser in mind! LNM??

Anonymous said...

The website died an early death, I believe (you can imagine the pressure), but your choice of initials is absolutely accurate!
Top marks, bro'!

Anonymous said...

Oh she's DANGEROUS!

Anonymous said...

DANGEROUS? The most treacherous of them all I would say and probably the least capable! Words fail in my attempts to describe her treacherous, two-faced, duplicitious and nefarious spring to mind! Heinous, vile,execrable come closer to descibing the depth of her inhumane hunger for power and attempts to veil her ineptitude and ignorance. Rumours of unprofessional and inappropriate off campus behaviour to promote her career were frequently alluded to by those who'd been 'in the system' for a long time!

Old Lag said...

And I can second that. If there are still any doubts about this vile person's identity (rather than her 'atrributes' - those are plain enough!) try here:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Lynn-Nicks-McCaleb/669795564

'Nuff said?!

Anonymous said...

OK, while we're at the business of outing some of our less desirable colleagues and 'superiors' (ha!!!), take a look at this one. . .

http://www.facebook.com/people/Melanie-Gobert/1047070915

A prime example of the 'colleague' whose grasp exceeds her reach - ambitious, but with minimal social skills and a nasty habit of spreading malicious gossip.

Another wannabe member of the whacky HCT Goon Squad to avoid!

Anonymous said...

Tsk tsk, Suede - looks like another one of your blogs is heading down the low road again...

Suede Oasis said...

I would not necessarily disagree, Anonymous (above) - the presence of those two unpopular and unscrupulous goons does the lower the tone of things round here.

However, realistically, we all have to accept that any blog that deals with the shenanigans of HCT's management is bound to start heading earthwards quite soon.

Anyway, I don't want to start editing out things that some might believe to be offensive. Others probably find them quite enlightening, and the purpose of this site is to present other people's opinions, not just promote the ideas of one (as a certain other blog does).

Anonymous said...

Just to add my one dirham's worth, I know for a fact that both of those people named above have been guilty of 'reporting' (i.e., snitching) on people, which resulted in the unfortunate victims getting sacked.

Give them both a very wide berth - unless you enjoy sharing your social space with manipulative and unprincipled Stasi-like bigots.

Ugh!!

Anonymous said...

Is it just me or does she always look at leat half cut?

Anonymous said...

Good point. In fact they both seem a wee bit half-cut (quarter-cut?), but maybe it's the medication they take.

But perhaps the blotchy skin of the double-barrel one does indicate a keen interest in bottled happiness.

Anonymous said...

LOL, Dr Blotchy Skin! Could a few bottles make her happy? Wouldn't it take more than alcohol to make that old ghould smile???

Anonymous said...

Oh the old ghoul hasn't smiled since the last time she snitched on a teacher. Mind you, that could have been today!

Brown Sauce said...

Don't say that! PLEASE!!

Anonymous said...

I heard that her nickname is 'Dr Fix-Mealargeone'!

Anonymous said...

Guys, you have it all wrong! She's TT, teetotal and totally trashy!

Anonymous said...

TeeTotal, my ass! I heard she soaks it up like a sponge (and I don't mean the tea!).

Anonymous said...

Double barreled? She's definitely dry in all meanings of the word!