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Weezer
Joined: 21 Sep 2010
Posts: 11
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 Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:47 am Post subject: Borderline Summer Training |
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Although it's not in my contract or on my schedule sheet, Borderlink is forcing me to do a few days of unpaid training. Not only is it unpaid, if I don't go they'll take those days out of my pay for the month. Transportation to the training location is also unpaid and it's quite far from where I live.
It's possible to miss the training if I use vacation days but the problem is because I haven't been working for them long enough, I don't qualify for any vacation days yet.
Borderlink has made missing training a double whammy. I lose whether I go or if I don't go.
Any advice? Has anyone else been Shanghaied into this at the last minute? |
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Metacchi
Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Posts: 17
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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I'm in exactly the same situation, Weezer. I heard about this training a couple of weeks ago. They offered us 4 days paid leave if we didn't want to go. But I don't want to waste my holidays. I'm not even entitled to paid holidays yet, according to my contract.
Anyway, as it turns out, 2 of the days are for writing reports at home, so it won't be as expensive for transportation, (but it still won't be covered by their "transportation" for the month of July). I understand other teachers are going to be forced to learn how to do a speech contest for 2 whole days, so I may have got off lightly.
Anyway, maybe I'll see you there? |
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yamanote senbei
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 435
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| Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Training is a good thing. Obligatory training should however be paid just like regular work days. Not being paid transportation costs to and from work also deviates significantly from Japanese social norms.
As an individual there is very little you can do about it. You know that other Borderlink ALTs have exactly the same problems as you. What should you do?
Organize!
Only as a union member you have the right to collectively bargain with your employer as an equal. Build a strong union at your BOE and both Borderlink and your BOE will have no other choice than to make improvements to your working conditions. |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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| Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Whether or not it actually classifies as "training" might also be considered borderline. |
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yamanote senbei
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 435
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| Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
| Whether or not it actually classifies as "training" might also be considered borderline. |
As may be the qualifications of the trainers. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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| yamanote senbei wrote: |
| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
| Whether or not it actually classifies as "training" might also be considered borderline. |
As may be the qualifications of the trainers. |
And what qualifications do the trainers teaching JTEs about speech contests have? Oh that's right; there aren't any. What qualifications do you believe the law says they should have in the way of qualifications?
Honestly YS, sometimes you make some ridiculous or pendantic remarks that are less than helpful and often more confusing than the posts you are correcting... and that's when you aren't just spewing responses based on your own assumptions instead of getting the facts first (or even reading posts fully instead of just guessing their contents) and then giving helpful and realistic advice. |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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| Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
| And what qualifications do the trainers teaching JTEs about speech contests have? |
Actually, what training and qualifications do the JTEs have?
Interestingly, I didn't read Yamanote Senbei's post as pedantic or offering correction - I read it as suggesting that "Borderline" (I love that typo so much it almost hurts!) training might be a case of the blind leading the blind. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds super illegal. I'd tell them that I wasn't going if I was not getting paid, and that they would not be counting it against my leave time.
Honestly when technically does summer vacation start? |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
| Interestingly, I didn't read Yamanote Senbei's post as pedantic or offering correction - I read it as suggesting that "Borderline" (I love that typo so much it almost hurts!) training might be a case of the blind leading the blind. |
I was referring to his posts in general not only this one, many of which are extremely perdantic. This just happened to be the last one I read of a number of posts he made last night.
And honestly; I didn't place you as one of those guys who laughs at his own jokes, repeating the punchline over and over whilst his mates either smile and nod or suddenly find an extrememly interesting smudge on the wall to look at... that one looks like Elvis. 
| rxk22 wrote: |
Sounds super illegal. I'd tell them that I wasn't going if I was not getting paid, and that they would not be counting it against my leave time.
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Deducting money/leave for non-attendance on a day that isn't a paid work day anyway... probably illegal, but damn out of order even if it isn't.
But asking people to attend unpaid training in the first place seems more a grey area. Under my last BOE there were some PT JTEs and teachers at my school who were expected to attend training seminars/lectures with no extra pay for the time. Of course these were actual training events, not just work days named "training" such as those some employers like to use on foreigner workers at the beginning of contracts so that they can justify paying them less (or nothing) for those days.
As to when summer vacation starts/ends depends on what is written in your contract. But I agree that is outrageous that they are being expected to give up days of their already unpaid holiday where they will have to pay to attend or pay if they don't. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
| Interestingly, I didn't read Yamanote Senbei's post as pedantic or offering correction - I read it as suggesting that "Borderline" (I love that typo so much it almost hurts!) training might be a case of the blind leading the blind. |
I was referring to his posts in general not only this one, many of which are extremely perdantic. This just happened to be the last one I read of a number of posts he made last night.
And honestly; I didn't place you as one of those guys who laughs at his own jokes, repeating the punchline over and over whilst his mates either smile and nod or suddenly find an extrememly interesting smudge on the wall to look at... that one looks like Elvis.
| rxk22 wrote: |
Sounds super illegal. I'd tell them that I wasn't going if I was not getting paid, and that they would not be counting it against my leave time.
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Deducting money/leave for non-attendance on a day that isn't a paid work day anyway... probably illegal, but damn out of order even if it isn't.
But asking people to attend unpaid training in the first place seems more a grey area. Under my last BOE there were some PT JTEs and teachers at my school who were expected to attend training seminars/lectures with no extra pay for the time. Of course these were actual training events, not just work days named "training" such as those some employers like to use on foreigner workers at the beginning of contracts so that they can justify paying them less (or nothing) for those days.
As to when summer vacation starts/ends depends on what is written in your contract. But I agree that is outrageous that they are being expected to give up days of their already unpaid holiday where they will have to pay to attend or pay if they don't. |
I dunno sounds super shady. but all the ALT companies seem to require unpaid training. But I didn't think they could punish you for it.
I would go complain to the labor board if it were me. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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| What also gets me is, the ALT training sessions take hours, yet cover almost nothing. Really if you've been here like 3 months, and you have a brain, then they have nothing new to offer you. It's a massive waste of time, and then you are subject to listening to those idiots who ask questions that are beyond stupid, or are easily found out on the net. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| What also gets me is, the ALT training sessions take hours, yet cover almost nothing. Really if you've been here like 3 months, and you have a brain, then they have nothing new to offer you. It's a massive waste of time, and then you are subject to listening to those idiots who ask questions that are beyond stupid, or are easily found out on the net. |
I get paid extra for company training days and transport and hotel costs (when applicable) are covered so I don't mind sleeping through stupid noob questions for a few hours. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
| rxk22 wrote: |
| What also gets me is, the ALT training sessions take hours, yet cover almost nothing. Really if you've been here like 3 months, and you have a brain, then they have nothing new to offer you. It's a massive waste of time, and then you are subject to listening to those idiots who ask questions that are beyond stupid, or are easily found out on the net. |
I get paid extra for company training days and transport and hotel costs (when applicable) are covered so I don't mind sleeping through stupid noob questions for a few hours. |
Not me, plus they usually pack us in a small meeting room, so ita7s always way too hot. Too small to sleep either, they'd get you. if it was big enough to sleep, I'd sneak out during the break. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:36 am Post subject: |
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| Oh just checked my contract, there is no mention at all about summer vacation. So I guess that means I am boned@_@ |
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Metacchi
Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Posts: 17
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Those 2 days were pretty pointless. There was no real training. Anything that would have passed as training on the schedule (like "how to make a worksheet") was skipped over, and I must have heard that "any problems ALTs have at school are purely down to the ALT not understanding Japanese culture".
The highlight was when the "trainer" had a rant about unions after 3 guys from Tokyo General Union turned up to give out leaflets. I think those guys must have really struck a nerve with him. Seeing him flap like that was pretty entertaining, and what he said was probably quite illegal.
We were given forms to fill in about our commutation to and from the training. We thought we'd get our transportation reimbursed. It was only after they'd collected the forms that we'd be paid our transportation MINUS our normal commutation fee to our schools. Seeing as our transportation is "included" in our salary, I can't see how they'd be able to do this fairly. Some people were actually losing money from this!
Last edited by Metacchi on Wed Aug 08, 2012 3:21 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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