Job Discussion Forums

[greatteacherterry]

Just a little update on our fight with the Kanagawa BoE.

WE have the OK from the General Assemble (local diet) to petition against the existing system. We are now collecting signatures from Kanagawa residents to have the system changed to direct hire not an outsourcing company (Interac).

On another note...
Last Thursday I had a chance to meet with several (Japanese) high school English teachers. I wasn't surprised to hear the stories they had about the teachers provided by Interac (Intercians).
Most were from non-English speaking countries (Romania, Philippines, and Kenya just to name a few) teachers. Now don't get me wrong there are many people from these countries with great English speaking abilities. But most of them didn't learn English in their home country. They traveled abroad and studied in an English as a first language country. I speak, read and write Japanese very well but I would never try to teach Japanese. This makes me wonder why are these people being hired as Assistant (English) Language Teachers at Interac? Why are they even applying for these positions? And the only feasible reason is they are tired of doing construction work, and dirty work here in Japan. With the bottom line being cash... Yen for their bank accounts!

Well any way, two of the four teachers said that they called Interac and asked for repacements, and the replacements were not any better (experiance wise). They quickly signed the petition and thanked me.

Everyone pads their resume to make themselves sound good on paper but some of the employees for Interac are down right frauds! I was listening (eavesdropping) to a conversation between an Interacian and a local telephone company employee. I phone company employee said to the Interacian, "Oh, I see you are a priest." The Interacian replied, "No, I'm not. I'm not a priest. I don't even go to church."The employee responded, "Your alien registration card says that you are a priest." Then he said, "OH, that was just to get my visa, and card."

This is crazy. These people are making a mockery of the whole system!

Terry

[prlester]

I've heard of DOD employees. THey have employees for much more then teaching. Do these employees get to choose their location and stay there or get shuttled around? Is the pay and retirment consumerate with army pay? thanks

[greatteacherterry]

prlester
I'm not sure of the whole pay scale but it is comparable to Army, Navy, and Air Force officer's pay, not enlisted. And I believe unlike the Army, Navy, and Air Force you normally get to choose where you are working but it still all depends on the needs of the government. If they need teachers in Japan they will not send you to France unless you are trying to go to France. But if they need teachers in Japan and you want to go to Japan you are mostlikely going to Japan. Now for your last part of your question... If you apply to DoD as a schoolteacher you work as a schoolteacher. DoD personnel don't get hired as teachers and become material handlers. You always work in your chosen field.
You should look at this URL
http://www.militaryconnection.com/dod.asp
You can find the answer to all of your questions about DoD schools, jobs, assignments, relocation and more than a normal mortal needs to know.

Good luck
Terry

[greatteacherterry]

I have been as busy as a beaver collecting signatures on our petition.
In the past week I collected over 200 signatures from the Japanese
teachers I work with now and have worked with in the past. On Wed
23 Aug. My high school held a special class (P/R class) for the junior
high students thinking about attending my school next year.
One of the (Japanese) English teachers from another school also
attended.
The two schools are going to merge. I jumped on this
opportunity to ask for his support by giving me his signature
on our petition...
His answer was...
YES... I WILL GLADLY SIGN THIS...!!!
I'M HAPPY THE SOMEONE IS TAKING THIS STEP....!

Well let me assure you, my parents didn't raise a complete fool...
I gave him 5 sheets to get the support from other teachers at
his school. He gladly took them and said he would get them back
to me through the school mail or at the Seminar next week.

Bottom Line
There are a lot of teachers that are willing to side with us on
this issue.
We just need to get the petitions in their hands.

[greatteacherterry]

I realize that it is pretty late to post this but here goes...

If you are free at 5:30 on Wednesday, August 30th, please attend the meeting of the Labour Relations Board, at the Kanagawa Labor Office. The building is a 10-minute walk from Kannai station, through the Yokohama stadium grounds and past the Board of education building, turn right in front of the main post office and left at the next corner. It�s the second building on the left, next to an office supplies shop.

Map: http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/osirase/tihosomu/tiroi/zu.htm

The hearing usually lasts about 25 minutes or so. Anyone wishing to attend can contact this website: www.kanagawapft.org

Terry

[canuck]

This is a good thread. Good luck to you guys Terry. Way to follow through. Hope it works out positively for you guys/gals.

[greatteacherterry]

Well canuck thank you for the encouragement...
If the time seems right and you would like to show your support drop by and sit a spell...

Terry

[canuck]

[greatteacherterry]

Aug 30 Labor Committee and the Kanagawa BoE

Well I don't really have many details as to what exactly happened at the meeting but this is what I have received so far...

The LC members seem to feel that court would be the best action for us to take. They feel that the BoE has really wronged us and that if they rule in our favor the BoE would only be fine 100,000 yen and someone could be jailed for 6 months. Now the person jailed would no doubt in my X-military mind be the lowest man on the totem pole. Not satisfying us one iota. The fine would be a mere drop in the bucket (of taxpayers money) still not satisfying any of us in the slightest. We want INTERDICK oh sorry Interac out of the Kanagawa high schools. We want to be the first to rid the education system of this cancer, which is spreading throughout Japan like wild fire.

If there are any people out there who wish to help obtain signatures of people in Kanagawa contact me and I'll get you some petitions and a postage paid return envelope.

greatteacherterry at yahoo dot com OR contact this website: www.kanagawapft.org

Terry out

[greatteacherterry]

It has been determined that the signatures can be from anyone in the whole wide world.
Just go to our site
http://www.kanagawapft.org/
site. You will see
Petition info
Open this and follow the directions print out the petition
doc format
and get it in the snail mail.

Thank you for your help...

Terry

[wangtesol]

This is a bit off topic, but it concerns Marriot Hotels, which is owned by the same corporation as Interac, using the same management tactics as Interac regarding illegal outsourcing, pay cuts and firings.

Recently, Marriot Hotels in South Korea (sorry for some reason I am unable to post on the South Korea forum) has outsourced their staff with a resulting 60% pay cut and then fired when legal action was taken. So here is a campaign to oppose Marriot which is very similar to the Kanagawa PFT campaign to oppose Interac.

[greatteacherterry]

As of a day or so ago this is where we stand.
The LC is strongly recommending us to take the BoE to court.

We turned in roughly 1500 signatures on our petition.
(mostly high school teachers and PTA)
The General Assembly has our petition on the table for discussion.
(Which means that they will be calling the BoE in to answer questions.)

We can still turn in more signatures before December,
so feel free to visit our site:

http://www.kanagawapft.org/

Get a petition in your hands and fill the blanks with
Name....... Address......... Signature
Have your friends, relatives, classmates and fellow workers sign too.
The more the merrier....

[luckyloser700]

[canuck]

[luckyloser700]