Job Discussion Forums

macondo · Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 40 Location: Gifu-ken

Every story has two sides.

It didn't seem to me like chirp was looking to dispute anything, just fishing for some positives and/or expansions on the negatives.

chirp · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 148

I can't believe I couldn't resist the temptation...

D.O.S.,

I don't dispute anything in the article - I have stated that I have no personal knowledge of Nova or of teaching in Japan as I am not there yet. I was asking Paulh and Hoser (the first two respondents) why they felt the article was incorrect, misleading or "terrible". I was hoping to hear something positive about being in Japan - there has been a lot of name calling and negativity recently.

Anyway, I am repeating myself. I apologize if my earlier posts were unclear and caused confusion.

Have a great day as I am going to bed. (Note to Wangtesol: It is night time where I am....)

D.O.S. · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:10 am Post subject:

angrysoba · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 446 Location: Kansai, Japan

The article raises some important points but uses a lot of irrelevancies to support its case.

If the writer wanted to write an article about how bad an employer NOVA is then she should have done so. But who cares that the Prime Minister can't speak English?

If the writer wanted to write about human-trafficking in Japan then she should have done so. It doesn't have any relevance to those coming from Australia on working holiday visas to teach at NOVA, which the writer admits in the ambiguous sentence:

"While there is no evidence that young Australian language instructors are getting sucked into the black economy, veterans of the English-teaching industry say that they are vulnerable financially"

It is simply put there to heighten the sense of iniquity posed to Australians on working holiday visas.

Also, to those who talk about having a 'balanced' article perhaps the writer could have questioned what kind of a deal that students get from people who have come to Japan for nothing more than to earn some travel money and have no interest in the profession of teaching or the reputation they give to people serious about ESL.

wangtesol · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 280

Chirp tries to say that he could not possibly be working in the interests of management since he doesn't even live in Japan.

Well, I don't know how where you live really affects that. Don't most recruiters live overseas?

And here is Chirp promoting Interac recruitment! Just Gimp by another name.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

The entire article is one person's opinion that is presented as fact. She took the examples of a few teachers (of whom we know nothing about) and then based that as every teacher's experience at NOVA.

wangtesol · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 280

Okay here is an example of exploitation.

The Nova recruiter in your home country tells you that you will have a medicare plan.

But when you get to Japan and you develop a back problem from sitting on the 300 yen chairs, you find out that the Nova medical scheme does not cover your physiotherapy and doctor visits. And that actually you should be enrolled in shakai hoken.

Maybe you should ask Nova's Steve Brown about exploitation. He was featured in the Asahi article on shakai hoken.

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

NOVA told me I could use their insurance or I could find my own. I found my own. Hardly exploitation.

wangtesol · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 280

That's just hilarious! They are supposed to tell you that you are to be automatically enrolled into the national health care scheme (shakai hoken).

Some choice. Illegal A or Illegal B?

Actually, it is potentially quite terrible for you, Hoser. You really did get hosed by them, but you cannot sue the Nova recruiter since labour laws abroad do not apply to Japan. Further, the Nova recuiting agencies are not legally bound to Nova Group Japan.

You might want to go to the press though if you want. You can PM me.

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

I don't want to sue NOVA. I don't have a chip on my shoulder the size of Hokaido. In fact I'd rather take my chances with no insurance at all.

wangtesol · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 280

Actually if you tried to sue the Nova recruiter you would not win. They are not legally bound to truthfully represent working conditions for overseas jobs. Most labour laws in Canada and the US only applies to recruiters who are recruiting for jobs in their home state/province. If the job is overseas, no laws applies to recruiters. They can tell you anything.

Further, Nova's recruiters....Nova Group Canada, Nova Group San Franciso, Nova Group Chicago and Nova Group Boston are all separate legal entities from Nova Group (Japan). So, there is absoultely no legal recourse.

That's why I encouraged you, Hoser, to go to the press, the Canadian press, if you want. Any university newspaper would probably want your story. Nova does recruit on Canadian campuses and they do falsely represent working conditions (eg, shakai hoken coverage). That is a labour law offence for home province recruiters, as I say, but they cannot be prosecuted for it because labour standards offices do not have the resources to pursue cases overseas, so overseas recruitment is left out of the law.