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TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

This just appeared on the Kyodo news site this evening. FYI, Kyodo feeds news to other news outlets in Japan and abroad.

A labour union comprising foreign workers in Japan on Monday requested the Aichi prefectural education board to address the situation of English language instructors at primary and secondary schools who they say are working under illegal contract conditions.

http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=465915

Does anyone know more about this story?

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

I could be wrong, but I thought basically every dispatch ALT works under illegal contract conditions. I'd be surprised if this really shocks anyone. I'd be more surprised if the BOE did anything about it.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

They won't do anything about it until the government says that they are hiring ALTs illegally.

Inflames · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486

Here's the full story:

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/union-claims-english-instructors-hired-illegally-at-aichi-schools

Basically (at least it's my take) they're claiming that the ALTs are in violation of the law, which states that ALTs must be under the control of the principal.

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

it is in the Japan Times as well in today's issue

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

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Those ALTs and Japanese dispatch teachers who are working at Kanto area schools have the Nambu Union as a resource. On their page regarding ALT issues, a number of alledged violators, dispatch companies, are identified. But not the BoEs who contract them > Sad

www.nambufwc.org

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

Inflames · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Glenski,

Exactly my point - the BoEs think they are above the law, disregard the labor rules and contract with these dispatch companies that fudge contract terms. All parties ought to be accountable.

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

Mr_Monkey · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

crankyjiji · Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 21

My friend works as an ALT in Aichi. The union recently sent some sort of notice in English to her at the school without a return address. A while later, the principal of the elementary school pulled her aside and instructed her to not say anything to anyone who contacted her. She just gave him one of those phony "Hai. Wakarimashita." answers. Such is life in Japan as a slave worker. Sad

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

This JALT Hokkaido post claims it is the GU, a significant detail omitted from the news stories.

http://jalthokkaido.net/blog/?p=647

General Union provides links to the current news stories on their news page

http://www.generalunion.org/News/599

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

Yeah, I thought basically all dispatch ALT's are illegal because, and I can't remember what the correct term is, we're on "camouflage" contracts, or something like that. Technically, since the dispatch company is your employer and not the BOE or the school you work at, your school can't legally instruct you on what to do.

Of course, this is insane because when you are going to teach a class about baseball for third grade English comprehension or whatever and the cooperating teacher tells you she/he wants you to make a lesson plan or an activity, they don't fax a request to your dispatch company to ask them to fax you a request to make a lesson plan or activity about baseball. It's obvious that as an ALT you are working with the teachers at your school and not with anyone at the dispatch company office wherever that may be.

But, the BOE and everyone else can pretend like they're in LaLa Land and you can't do anything about it. Most ALT dispatch company contracts are filled with illegal clauses themselves (which I'd venture a guess might make the entire contract invalid, or at least those clauses of course,) but again, whaddya gonna do? You have no money, you're a foreigner, probably don't speak Japanese and are probably going to be out of here in less than a year from the time you realize all this. The ALT dispatch company has lawyers, lots of money, lots of time, and speaks Japanese.

The seriously sad part about it, is that the board of education could direct hire you for cheaper than what they pay the dispatch companies to hire you. The argument is always that it saves the BOE's headaches and whatever, but my dispatch company didn't secure my housing, or train me, or provide any other service to me or the BOE. They just were the ones to put the job ad online and interview me, and now they overcharge the BOE and underpay me.

By they way, if anyone wants to get all the details about their respective dispatch company's financial dealings with the BOE and a host of other info such as who has ditched their contracts at what schools and whatnot, all this information is on file with the BOE and available to you due to the freedom of information act. I'll tell you, it's very interesting to see your company's winning bid price and shacho's signature under that huge sum of money, then hear shacho spout a bunch of b.s. at the next company function.

You might want to ask your local union representative to check into it for you if you're interested.