Job Discussion Forums

[Mr. Ludd]

To all you ALTs that are unfortunate enough to be working for Borderlink, be of stout heart. Things may seem terrible, but are not hopeless. Mr. Forest River may be trying to cheat you out of your legal salary and days off, but there are things that you can do. No matter what the greedy git may say, your contract is legal and the company has to stand by it. Do not back down, matter what types of threats he may make. Borderlink is in a very precarious position (financial and leadership wise) and can not afford to have its employees making complaints. ( It`s a good bet that the parent company has no idea of what`s going on.) There is a rumor going around that BL will ask its employees to sign a `Labour Contract` which most likely has conditions that differ from the contracts that were originally signed. Whatever you do, DON`T SIGN ANYTHING. If you feel as if you`re being forced to do something that doesn`t seem right, there are government agencies in Japan that will help you. Also, it wouldn`t hurt to let the Japnese teachers you work with know about how BL is screwing over the ALTs as they will probably be on your side if things ever do get nasty. Old Forest River is like a big pile of steamy poo. Seems rather potent until it is exposed, dries up and blows away. Don`t let it be said that you were cowed by a pile of poo.

[fluffyhamster]

BL sucks for sure. I simply quit on them one day when they (well, initially an anal w*nker of a vice-principal - quite a few schools, hell BOEs, don't care about their AETs one iota) were making it impossible to take even a minute of leave (and this after working for them for six months and being entitled to 10 days of paid leave - oh, make that 5 because they insisted that 5 be used for a few remaining days in July that Japanese employees would've had to work or take leave for, despite them getting pay for August etc, yeah that sounds really equal doesn't it). They just really suddenly seemed to get full of themselves and form a psychotic hatred of all their AETs after a few months (not the best line to take when it's those AETs who are making them their money) - the promotion of that sociopath Mieko to office watchdog probably had a lot to do with it. As for Mr "FR", he obviously has little respect or liking for any AET regardless of their expertise and/or experience, and should find himself a nice job where he doesn't need to deal with those nasty troublesome bloodsucking foreigners at all.

Anyway, I just thought it was revealing that Morgan (their top western manager) was apparently about to resign soon after me, and that the bumbling Saito (another refugee from RCS) had been turned from a passably amiable and seemingly caring type into a greying sourfaced unpleasant suit by BL.

[Mr. Ludd]

Holding your ground and standing up to "FR" can and will get results. His demands on using workers paid holidays and repayment of "salary overpayment" have now been reduced to `requests`. The so called `Labour Agreement` doesn`t have to be signed unless both sides agree to it. (This comes from a governent agency). The head office is in a bit of trouble now as one of their new sub managers (a cross between Willy Wonka & the 6th Doctor) has no experience in the field at all. All the guy does is relay messages between the ALTs and FR without the ability to answer any questions on his own. One wonders what people at the head office are smoking. So, if you are thinking of working for BL, think again. If you are currently employed with this cheerful little company, remember, the ALTs are the only thing bringing in the money and you can`t be pushed around.

[fluffyhamster]

Rather than try to thrash things out with the psychotic nutters at BL, I suggest voting with one's feet: either don't start working for them, or stop working for them ASAP. Leave them in the lurch having to explain to the BOE why yet another AET has quit. Who knows, if enough AETs (with whatever dispatcher) did this, perhaps at least one BOE somewhere would finally realize that it would be better to employ directly.

[Mr. Ludd]

Red Alert!!! To any employees working at Borderlink: beware. BL is not only going the way of Nova, but now it seems to believe in slavery. Evidently, even if you quit the company, hand in a written resignation, not show up at any of your former schools, (you`ve already been replaced) and then after waiting the legally appointed time, ask for your pay, you will be told "we decide when you quit". Old FR doesn`t give a tinkers cuss about his workers. The Japanese Labour Law (which FR clearly thinks he is above) clearly states that you must pe paid on a certain date every month, or 7 days after you have left the place of employment. Not only does this talking piece of poo think that he has the right to delay one`s pay and decide when one may or may not quit, but now this ball of pus has the nerve to demand one month notice before taking a paid holiday. Further proof of his dementia: now he says BL will only pay 60~70% if you take your holiday during a working day. The Labour Law says full pay for a paid holiday. The Labour Law is available on the web in both English and Japanese. Print it out and carry it with you. Throw it in BL`s face when they try any of their illegal crap on you. Don`t hesitate to let your schools and teachers know what is going on. Also, make sure your monthly salary is ALL there at the end of the month. If it isn`t, I`m sure your local B.O.E. and Willholdings (parent company in Shinjuku) would appreciate hearing from you. Don`t accept `later`, as soon there may not be any later. Never let up bothering the brainless numbnuts at the head office. It should never take several weeks to get a straight answer to any of your work related questions. Anyone who says `I don`t know` or `I`ll get back to you after checking with the lawyers` should not be working in management. It may be easier to just go and find another position, but why should you have to leave a job that you enjoy because of some slimeball pooh pile? He`s breaking the law, let him face the music.

[fluffyhamster]

In my experience, BOEs know full well what the situation is like regarding pay (how it is delayed for anything up to a month due to the indirect nature of the employment/needing to hanko and prove all the workdays, pro-rated pay etc), lack of paid leave (and sometimes even lack of unpaid sick leave) etc etc, but they expect or hope that you will be able to put up with it without complaining too loudly even when the dispatcher is being completely unreasonable (and maybe doing things that the BOE would not approve of in principle, but will condone in practice by refusing to act). If you do bring the conditions (when things are getting REALLY bad) to anyone's attention locally (e.g. at the nicer schools), they can be sympathetic up to a point but generally just do not want to be troubled; and if you complain higher up too loudly or vociferously they will intimate that it will be easier to just replace you (regardless of your popularity or success at your schools). I actually had JTEs refusing to believe (i.e. being simply unable to comprehend, or perhaps wishing to believe that the reverse was true or something) the low low unmanageable pay us AETs were sometimes receiving and needing to scrape by on (see for example the 'Labour Laws enforced?' thread, which concerned the unbelievable antics of RCS). Like I said before, if the BOEs actually cared they would hire directly and treat the AET a little better (and in doing so, they might actually attract better-qualified candidates and then be able to take their pick). And you can bet that the dispatcher would get wind of what you'd said and blacklist you (that could be a good thing though if it forced you to find a new and potentially better employer!).

As for contacting Willholdings or similar, that might have an effect if enough express their dissatisfaction, but I bet that the Japanese would just close ranks (they are ultimately interested in making money through exploitation, and won't change things much until the supply of "teachers" dries up).

[Big John Stud]

I do not know Borderlink, but I have been led to believe the owners of USCOM went into business with Borderlink. If there are two part owners named Sugita and Morgan Jones, everyone reading this should quit right away. Don't give notice, just quit. They are very bad people. Do a search on USCOM and read what people other than myself has written.
I do not know for sure, but the first poste is exactly what USCOM used to do. Specially not paying employees who either quit or finish their contract.

[Mr. Ludd]

Checked USCOM. A bit of an eye opener that. Seems to show that BL and its management are just rotten to the core. A good point is, that with all the complaints coming into the B.O.E.s from all over, BL won`t be doing this type of business after March. The poo will be scraped from the educational shoe, with some other crap company likely to take its place. To all employees who are still with this wonderful company, don`t miss your chance to go to the x-mas party BL is offering. We can all get together and be the bestest of friends and get all chummy with FR. Who knows, maybe as a x-mas present, FR will screw us over less than usual.

[Mr. Ludd]

To those of you in Borderlink sponsored housing, get out while you can. The wonderful company run by FR has now stooped to witholding the salary of employees in order to pay for non-existant "cleaning fees." If your name is not on any of the rental agreements, you are not responsible for anything. BL can take rent out of your pay, but nothing else unless you have authorized it. Be careful. Like out of control locust, FR has devoured his company and will take whatever he can before moving on. Several B.O.E.s have had it with this cesspool of a company, and unless the head piece of poo is fired and the company overhauled, renewal of contracts by the local B.O.E.s is unlikely. Check all pay records carefully and don`t let the company bully you into signing anything. You signed a contract in April and that`s all you need. Don`t give in to the poo.

[fluffyhamster]

[Mr. Ludd]

Boo. Some B.O.E. s have decided to stay on with Border Stink for convenience sake, didn`t even bother with the bidding. One can only hope that the people sent from the head office to straighten out this bozo bin in Omiya will have some effect. New contracts coming up soon!! Oh the pain, the pain.

[jonathanj]

I just used their contract as my source of income to get my wife her CoE for a dependent visa. I have training with BL in a few days, and my wife is applying for her visa in China in a few days. I have already dealt with these clowns, and have hated them from the beginning. You are right about mismanagement, and all the ways they try to enforce their rules on you. Do you think BL would try and cancel my wife's CoE/visa, while it is being processed, if I decided not to show up for training?

P.S. I am already in a heated argument with the recruiter as to where to place me. I have a house in Chiba, and wants to place me in Saitama. C'Mon!!!

[Mr. Ludd]

Jonathanj About the visa, it`s possible. There have been some changes at the head office, but the main problem (Forest River) is still in charge. Best to do whatever until the visa is done. Once that comes through, Bozo Land can not take it away. Last I heard, BL does have schools in Chiba and you should really insist on being placed there. If all else fails, I would suggest working were they put you until you find a better position, then just leave. But, make sure you let the schools and B.O.E. know the reasons you are leaving so you don`t come off as some flighty foreigner. BL really can`t afford to have the local B.O.E.s unhappy with them. Hope things work out.

[Pink Lychee]

Yeah, one thing to not invest into this company is trust. I trusted them and all they wound up doing to me was screwing me over about 350,000 yen and a lot of other problems. And the "awesome" labor office of JP can't force them to pay you, so I was SOL....They are by far the worst company I have ever worked for in Japan.

[Mr. Ludd]

Borderlink is rolling along although having problems with the ALTs in some of the schools. You get what you pay for, I guess. Conditions still have not gotten any better, worse in fact. Transportation now provided, but salary cut to offset it. With luck the Ministry of Education will do away with these blood sucking dispatch companies and force the school districts to go back to direct hire.