Job Discussion Forums

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

Don't tell me that you aren't doing some work between lessons, even if it is just getting materials, checking the schedule, or walking from classroom to classroom.

The trend recently is for eikaiwas to classify the time between lessons as "free time" in order to try bring the number of weekly working hours below 30 in an attempt to evade the responsibility of putting teachers into the proper health insurance system. Which brings this thread back to the original post.

Yes at McDonalds, 5 minutes here and there does add up. The story isn't archived in English anywhere that I can find, but here's what's left:

http://nambufwc.org/2005/08/26/mcdonalds-to-pay-millions-in-unpaid-overtime/
http://avoidinglife.com/index.php/a?PHPSESSID=eebc0be6e0cb226dcabf6e577867a8b5&s=overtime&sentence=AND

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

Wow! Rounding down to the nearest 30 minutes. That is low for a company to do that, I'll agree with you there. Especially as they were no doubt working an extra 15-25 minutes a day.

Now, this thread could probably continue on forever at the rate we're going so I think we should agree to disagree.

At ECC, we get 10 minutes between adults and 15 minutes before kids classes to prepare. This is paid. It takes 5 minutes to prepare for kids classes and the Free Time Lessons require no preparation. So even if you factor in walking between rooms etc. there's still 5 minutes = 30 minutes a day where we do nothing.

It's during this time that a lot of people write up roll books etc. So there is time to do the extra work. Some teachers just choose to use these 5 minutes as down time and fix everything up at the end of the day. But this is a choice.

If people are working flat-out for the whole shift and still don't get everything done then maybe they're not up to the job. It's far from rocket-science.

As for the Health Insurance thing, I agree. But thankfully ECC has finally caved on that one offering 30 hours to those who want it. And thats largely thanks to the union.

pondwalden66 · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 8

I see you have swallowed the ECC Cool-Aid by tossing in a few more lies in response to my original complaint about ECC lies.

"At ECC, we get 10 minutes between adults and 15 minutes before kids classes to prepare."

Let`s see. My first children`s class starts at 3:40 on Mondays and my official time starts at the same time. So I guess I can just stroll into ECC at 3:39 and be alright? Yeah and I`ll just tell the kids and parents to wait
while I get the teaching material together.

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

Seriously, the McDonald's analogy is weak. McDonald's employees get paid BY THE HOUR, and get next to nothing for it, so it isn't surprising that they should demand every minute they work be accounted for.

If you are working on a salary, the equation is completely different. Just about every salaried position outside of government (and even a lot of government jobs) require you to sometimes put a few minutes or hours a week extra in. Thats the price you pay for the salary and benefits you get.

It sounds just insanely friggin whiny when someone whose WORK DAY STARTS AT 3:40 PM to be complaining that they actually have to come in a few minutes early to prepare. Get over it, if you can't take that you'll never survive in this world.

pondwalden66 · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 8

Imagine ECC telling you you`ll be paid 2,000/yen an hour and then not getting 2,000 yen. But hey, why complain? It`s close enough.

So, did you fill out any greeting cards for your students? I did some of mine at home. But hey, it`s only a few yen of time. So no big deal, right? Let me swipe a few yen from your pocket. It`s no big deal.

Go to any school parties? Some people enjoy them. To each his own. But having to say "No" more than once feels like some more unpaid overtime to me. Once I was told I "have to" go. I didn`t, but someone younger and more pliable probably would have.

I was trained/told/instructed/persuaded/ordered to show up 20 minutes early for a FTL shift. But of course, the clock would not run for those 20 minutes.

If only it was one day a week I had a kids class start at the same time as my shift. But it`s more like 4 days a week.

If you really think the average teacher can spend 10-15 minutes only preparing for a kids class, you are high. Let`s see. Reading the lesson manual and writing out notes on the whiteboard or paper. Getting all the materials ready (which are sometimes misplaced/lost). I agree the longer you do the lessons, the quicker it becomes.

But go back to my original complaint. ECC lies by stating in their job offer that teachers there work "29.5" hours a week, in a favorable comparison to their competitors.

Finally, no I`m not in Osaka. No, come March it`s goodbye to ECC for me. And I use an internet cafe to post. That`s the reason for the reply delays.

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

Cheers for the detailed reply. It's appreciated.