Job Discussion Forums

[Sweetsee]

I can't give you any evidence but I can tell you what I know and that is that in the 16 years that I have been here NOVA teachers have been the brunt of jokes in Japan. Saying you work for them is along the lines of saying you work for Mickey D's, which in and of itself is not such a bad thing for some people, most of whom would never be there were it not for the off-the-plane-hand-holding. And the fact that they arrange for couples to come together only further signifies their wet-nurse approach to living abroad.

Rang up a mate today who manages the biggest strip club in Roppongi, been there 14 years, point is this guy has a firm hand on the pulse of the streets, and when I told him my school was bouting me he immediately told me, "Oh yeah, f'ing NOVA are undercutting all the ALT contracts and making life a living hell for all the longtime vets with families who have no choice but to stay in Japan."

[wangtesol]

[eslteach555]

Yes and the conclusion of the investigation was that they weren't violating the law.

[wangtesol]

Check the General Union website to see what the latest is on the decision of the investigation. Last time I checked it was still ongoing.

from the General Union Feb 20, 2006

[Luna Chica]

Sweet See said: "I can't give you any evidence but I can tell you what I know and that is that in the 16 years that I have been here NOVA teachers have been the brunt of jokes in Japan. Saying you work for them is along the lines of saying you work for Mickey D's, which in and of itself is not such a bad thing for some people, most of whom would never be there were it not for the off-the-plane-hand-holding. And the fact that they arrange for couples to come together only further signifies their wet-nurse approach to living abroad. "

Yeah but sweet see the thing is that 99% of these teachers in Japan who hold themselves so much above others as a subarashi eigo sensei don't even have a lousy ESL qualification, many have also been in Japan long enough that they snuck in before the govt even required them to have a university degree. I'm sure you are probably a higly qualified ESL teacher though .

"Rang up a mate today who manages the biggest strip club in Roppongi, been there 14 years, point is this guy has a firm hand on the pulse of the streets, and when I told him my school was bouting me he immediately told me, "Oh yeah, f'ing NOVA are undercutting all the ALT contracts and making life a living hell for all the longtime vets with families who have no choice but to stay in Japan."

Sorry about that - I guess I can understand your bitterness toward NOVA. But, why do you not have nay choice but to stay in Japan? If you are such an illustrious ESL teacher surely your Japanese partner and kids could go back to your country and you would be awash in fabulous offers from language schools there.

[shuize]

[[email protected]]

I completely agree with the previous poster.

Are we really to believe that all the eikawas are all breaking this law and have been doing so since time began? Wangtesol also continuously rants about all the school boards breaking the law by using dispatch teachers but if this is so, why is nothing done about this either? This question is never answered. I too wish that the school boards would hire all their teachers directly but it's their decision to make, not mine or the unions.

Also, the vast majority of ESL teachers in this country, especially when it is explained to them, don't want to pay into the health insurance scheme. Only the union activists do.

I wouldn't work for NOVA in a million years but that doesn't mean everyone feels that way. I also know NOVA teachers who like their jobs, like their bosses, like their schedule and vacation arrangements, and like their students. Clearly a lot of students like NOVA too. It's a free country and people are different. That's a good thing.

[Sweetsee]

Not bitter Luna, you sound like it though.
Sorry you feel that way.

Happy friday,
s

[wangtesol]

Give me a break, Gimp/ESLTeach. This is getting old.

[gaijinalways]

Gimp,

In case you haven't noticed, labor laws protecting employees are not one of the strong points in Japan. Often companies aren't forced to ante up, and often settlements don't affect other employees still working under illegal conditions.

Japan generally doesn't still live under the contract of law, but rather on written promises which can be interpreted quite liberally. When companies used to offer life time employment, perhaps one could understand putting up with a lot from a company, but now.. ?

As to foreigners, our contract terms are usually quite different from the local conditions ( a kind of reverse from expat packages) and often companies want to interpret things in their favor (no surprise there). The problem is when they start interpreting things in a way that violate the law; nonsocialization policy, drug testing only for foreign employees, etc..
Nova as a big company just happens to be more visable then some other offenders I could name who try to do some of the same things and worse. That is why the 'permanent guest' mentality is so dangerous, and sadly one adopted by some of the 'gone native' long term foreign residents. As 'so called guests' we'll always be open to more abuse of our employee labor rights.

[yamanote senbei]