Job Discussion Forums

[D.O.S.]

Enough of this communist/capitalist talk! This is real life, not some 2nd year political science class.

What is a union and what can it do (and where should it be headed)? Look at the airlines pilots union. Or a nurses union. What they do is ensure that professional standards are created and upheld.

A foreign teacher's union can put pressure on the government to make sure that at least minimum standards are upheld (a BA for a visa) and, hopefully, more legal rights can be created.

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So D. O S. says that unions ensure, " that professional standards are created and upheld."

Teachers' unions do exactly the opposite. They do everything they can to help a teacher keep his job, irregardless of his or her professional competence. If a teacher pays his union dues, the union will defend him- that is the only criteria. I've personly seen a couple of unbelievably bad teachers join a union just to try and save their jobs.

Teachers' unions don't give a damn about professional standards. They care only about the economic well-being of their members. That is all well and good.

[stillnosheep]

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I stand by what I said. Teachers' unions defend their members from dismissal regardless of the merits of the case. They actively try to keep incompetent teachers working. They are as selfish as any private corporation.

I have never owned an eikawa, never been in management at one either. True, I am anti-union . . . thanks for the compliment.

I just get fed up with all the pro union BS on this website. Teachers' unions care only for their memberships jobs and salaries. Again, that is fine, but just don't hand me all the crap about them being concerned about quality education.

The proof is in the numbers. Only one percent of teachers bother to join a union. One percent! Don't don't tell me how important you are and how representative you are.

You treat managers and owners at the "enemy," and then wonder why things don't go well in the workplace.

And cut the nonsense about my being a lackey of the owners. That's as stupid as me calling you a union lackey. Deal with the issues. Start with the one percent issue.

[stillnosheep]

I've never been employed by a Union. the "1%" [where did you get that figure from] issue has been dealt with at length in the past week in thread after thread after thread (basically: most teacher's are relatively transient and believe that 'it will never happen to me' in the short time they plan to stay here. Unfortunately it often does and the % of union membership amongst long-timers is far far higher).

Still, if the unions were a tenth as effective at sticking up for their members' rights as you paint them that should be reason enough for all but the most rabid anti-union teacher here in Japan to join immediately.

Keep up the unintentional but nonetheless welcome free advertising for the almighty power of the EFL unions in Japan!

[JimDunlop2]

[D.O.S.]

Gimp continues to screech from his/her soapbox.

Japan is one of the few places EFL teachers have some sort of union representation. Gimp is either unable or unwilling to understand that this has helped create a situation where he/she was able to teach for many years.

Perhaps he/she should spend some time in Korea. Somehow, I doubt it, as that B.Ed and teaching certificate doesn't go far in creating a stable work environment there.

Gimp obviously has an agenda (or is just not very informed due to not having any EFL experience outside of Japan).

...or could it be that gimp is simply a troll not even living in Japan

[Sweetsee]

Poor Gimp.

[wangtesol]

I want to hear the Gimp talk about fascist/corporatist Portugal under Salazar. Honestly. Please, go ahead. You mentioned Portugal earlier.

[angrysoba]

Wang:

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Come on Wangtesol I was clearly talking about Portugal today- read my post. But you are an expert at distorting the facts.

Trying to tie me to Salazar would be as ridiculous as me trying to tie you to Stalin.

The previous poster is right on- what relevance does Salazar have to this post?

[stillnosheep]

Dear Gimp and angry

This thread was about a march for migrant workers' rights. Gimp has attempted it to use it to denounce and decry unions. In a democratic society unions play an important role in defending workers against unscrupulous and law-breaking employers.

Gimp, who has posted before on his pride at being labelled 'anti-union', brought up the example of Portugal, seemingly unaware of the role that the Portuguese labour unions played in resisting the fascist dictatorship there. Ever since the rise of the Falange in Italy and the NSDAP in Germany the desire to extinguish free trade unions has been considered one of the defining hallmarks of fascism.

[angrysoba]

Still no sheep:

[stillnosheep]

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The resistance of Portugal's unions to facism has no more relevance to this posting than the sellout of the unions to the communist dictators in Russia and eastern Europe.