I feel for flight attendants, however after 35 years in teaching, I can tell you that a majority of my time was “free”. My 30 minutes duty free for lunch was taken up with random admin requests, parental issues, prepping for next lessons, dealing with student issues, taking care of elimination issues and in the last two minutes? Eat that half of dinner you didn’t finish last night. I won’t mention that I arrived two hours early for the day, three hours in the afternoon doing all the tasks that are required of me; attendance figures, prepping lessons, xeroxing needed supplies, gathering supplies, sitting in meetings that do nothing for me except waste my limited time and boost someone else’s ego……then COVID strikes and now I have to learn a completely new skill set and train the parents so that it is a success. I get that parents are overwhelmed but there are some basics that should come from home so that I don’t have to take time from something the children will really need to work on. I wish parents would understand I didn’t get into this field because I had dreams of permanent recess and duty free lunches, but to actually make a difference in their child’s life as well as possibly theirs.
#1
I kept track of all my hours during a couple of typical weeks and worked out that I was paid about 60% of minimum wage at that time (my 10th year- so not the ridiculously low beginning salary either). Yes, I made choices because I care about the work I do and my students, but there has to be limits because salaried jobs shouldn’t end up paying less than minimum wage!
0points
#2
I was a public school teacher for many years, and I view it differently. I was under contract, for an annual salary. I did whatever it took to get the job done. Yes, I always worked beyond “contract hours” and took work home, but that’s part of the job if you want to do it well so I never felt like I was working “for free.” All salary positions are like that. Hourly jobs are readily available for anyone who prefers to be compensated that way.
-1point