Job Discussion Forums

timothypfox · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 492

I saw this add for an ECC contract on July 13th on this website:

Stark · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 35

I don't know specifically about ECC, but in general Eikawa or dispatch all claim that 29.5 hour work week. Its standard practice, and everyone does it to skimp out on the benefits. overall expect to be working or at least in the workplace looking busy for 40 hours+.

Since they all do it, and people keep coming over (myself included) they pretty much can keep doing it.

basilbrush · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 61

ECC are really good with this actually. I don't know anyone there who works over 29.5 hours a week (in Kansai anyway).

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Ryu Hayabusa · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 182

Yes, ECC is great about following the 29.5 hours to a tee. I once came in early and did a FTL (Free time lesson) because another person was late. ECC paid me for the extra 30 minutes and it counted as overtime!

@fat_chris

I don't think it's necessary to include that tidbit, but about 30% of all the teachers I encountered during my time there had worked for other eikaiwas before ECC. Most were ex-Nova but a few were ex-Geos and ex-Aeon. And all of them said ECC was better.

crankyjiji · Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 21

29.5 hours is a LIE! That is typical for ECC and its Cool Aid drinking employees who will defend it.

ECC may be better in some ways to other eikawa. But you won't be working 29.5 hours for the salary they are offering.

For example, your paid schedule may start at 3:30. This will also be the time your 1st kids' class begins. This means you will need to arrive before 3:30 to prepare for the class by getting the appropriate flashcards ready and writing lesson plans/structures on the whiteboard. If you have 2 or 3 kids' classes, you will need to arrive even earlier. This will be especially necessary the 1st few months until you get comfortable with the classes.

I could write about more ways you will be working for FREE, but that's a prime example.

jgmodlin · Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Posts: 120 Location: USA

I worked for ECC in Tokyo under the 29.5 contract and never had to be there for extra hours. I have no idea what people are talking about by saying that you actually have to work more than that. Unless you are a real gumby why would you have to come in early to prepare for lessons? You come in look at the schedule, pick up the appropriate book (which you have been doing over and over for the past month) and walk up to the table and begin teaching. No sense re-creating the wheel, in fact ECC would rather you not go re-constructing their material.
I also found plenty of people who had come to work for ECC from other chains, myself incuded after a few months at NOVA. All in all, I found ECC to be a pretty square deal. Could have done without the kiddy classes, but you have to take the good with the bad until you can find something better.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Is that 29.5 actual contact classroom hours? If so, that's a lot. I always thought the eikaiwa standard was 25.

And what kind of bum teacher doesn't prepare a class? Even one with a book you know well still takes ten minutes to look over, check you know all the grammar, grab any materials you need. For 29 hour long classes thats about 5 hours right there.

Thereandbackagain · Joined: 03 Nov 2007 Posts: 20 Location: Osaka, Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

The 29.5 hours / week are classroom contact time.

You will likely put in more time in order to do the following:
interview prospective students & assess their levels,
sit in the lobby with students/prospective ones,
do paperwork for attendance and performance reviews, etc.

Read this about union activities with ECC:
http://www.generalunion.org/ecc/

As far as corporate health insurance plan (shakai hoken) is concerned, read this victory:
http://www.generalunion.org/ecc/news/46
The General Union and ECC have signed a historic collective agreement over Shakai Hoken (Health and Pension) on 28th July 2006. ECC will enroll any 29.5 hour contract instructors who wishes to be enrolled on Shakai Hoken from October 1, 2006. Instructors who wish to be enrolled will have to work 30 hours or more per week.
ECC will be placing notices in all ECC schools over the next few weeks. For more details contact the General Union

Prep time is not going to be the same for every class. You will undoubtedly teach many classes that repeat lesson plans, so that overlap will cut down on prep time. However, I disagree with the "gumby" remark. Even I as a total newbie with 11 textbooks to use in my eikaiwa back in the Stone Age had to spend a lot of time to prepare decent lessons, instead of just waltzing in with the textbook and plopping down to shoot the breeze with the paying customers.

Ryu Hayabusa · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 182

@Crankyjiji

A lie, eh? It certainly wasn't in my case. I will clarify now. I had arrived in September and started working in October. ECC was, and still is (from what I hear) really overstaffed. Thus, I was given a schedule of sub-days with one day of webschool. Most sub days I had to substay--which is even less work than a straight FTL shift. Once or twice a month I had to cover someone's kids classes. So, yes, I did go in way early to prepare for those and that time wasn't counted as work time even though I was at work and preparing for work. But, even by the end of my time at ECC, I never had any kids classes. Just 3 FTL days, a webshift, and a subday. It was a sweet deal for me. And yes, I gotta say, the Kool Aid was quite delicious and refreshing! For other people who came before me and who had 5-10 (or more) kids classes a week, they were doing a lot of unpaid prep work. But, I also met a few teachers who didn't need to come in early for kids classes and were still brilliant because they had been working for a while and had the lessons and games down pat. I watched some of their kids lessons and I learned a lot!

I did resent the fact that I was a stranger at every school I had to sub/substay at. I didn't sign up for that. I was expecting a regular schedule where I could get to know my students and staff members. So that was definitely a negative point for me. I'm not trying to come off as some ECC-promoting stooge. It's just that ECC was a sweet deal for me and I want people to know that eikaiwa can be good for you if you get lucky.

I'm now an ALT and I do way more work and put in a lot more hours. But, it is way more fulfilling than eikaiwa work and I get way more vacation and days off!

Thereandbackagain · Joined: 03 Nov 2007 Posts: 20 Location: Osaka, Japan

Firestarter2 · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Osaka

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Ok, I stand corrected about the way ECC operates its hours. Other places don't all do it that way, though. Keep that in mind.

Looks like the union still has its hands full, because as far as I'm concerned, you should get paid for the time you are there, but the law still dictates certain time for breaks. If the time between classes isn't considered a break (and if you are only tidying up paperwork between classes, then I wouldn't call it a break, either), then just what ARE the break times there?