Society Assistant language teachers struggle for survival

thomas · 20 Aug 2024

Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) are integral to English language education in Japan. Despite their crucial role, many struggle to make ends meet: Jesse Ali, a 43-year-old ALT from California, exemplifies the plight of underpaid educators. For 15 years, he has dedicated himself to teaching English at various schools in Kanagawa Prefecture through a major staffing agency. However, his meagre salary has forced him into extreme financial hardship. Unable to afford necessities like a work suit or sufficient food, Ali's situation has become increasingly desperate. On 17 June, Ali publicly denounced his employer, revealing the devastating impact of low wages on his life. His inability to provide for himself, let alone a potential partner, underscores many ALTs' dire circumstances in Japan.

Jesse Ali, a 43-year-old ALT from California (photo credit: Miyagawa Junichi)

However, Ali said he is not paid enough for his work. He works five days a week for an after-tax monthly salary of less than 200,000 yen ($1,260), although that amount can increase or decrease depending on the number of classes he teaches. His income drops even further in March and April because of spring break, while he receives no bonuses. Because he must wear a suit for his classes, he bought a cheap one from a flea market app. His school lunch is often the only meal he eats all day. And when he is invited to attend welcome and farewell events with his coworkers, he must decline since he cannot afford to go. "It's difficult to say that I don't have any money and no one believes me even if I do," Ali said. "I'm all alone in the faculty room." Two years ago, he was invited by other ALTs in the same circumstance to join the Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union, a labour union in the capital in which any worker can participate. He joined the union. However, after the ALTS started collective bargaining with the staffing agency, Ali said they were notified that their salaries would be cut.

English teachers in Japan left in near poverty by paltry pay | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

mdchachi · 20 Aug 2024

I never realized this could be a career role. I thought it was like JET -- a good occupation for a couple years after college before settling down into a real career. I also wonder what's changed. Weren't ALT salaries always meagre?

tomoni · 20 Aug 2024

JETS, originally called monbukagaku scholars if memory serves, were on 300,000 per month and depending on the prefecture, some got subsidized housing, and some got free housing. In the mid nineties ( memory?? ) with the us dollar bottoming out at 86 yen, it was like probably a pretty good gig. The maximum number of renewals was for, for a total of five years and then they could become a CRT which is a kind of supervisor of Jets, International coordinator etc.

howver over the year MEXT cut funding and prefectures/school boards started outsourcing to private companies, such as interact. as well, over the years the sort of unspoken minimum salary of ¥250,000 per month to get a visa seems to have disappeared and outsourcing companies pay even less now. So this means that AET's, assistant English teachers, can you work for an outsourcing company for an unlimited number of years at a very low salary. no, with a very low yen and our first experiences with inflation and shrinkflation, it can be very tough for people who are making entry-level salaries that don't increase.

and it's an overcrowded market, and right now a buyers market (schools). So AET's are very tough situation.

Cheers

mdchachi · 20 Aug 2024

tomoni said:
JETS, originally called monbukagaku scholars if memory serves, were on 300,000 per month and depending on the prefecture, some got subsidized housing, and some got free housing. In the mid nineties ( memory?? ) with the us dollar bottoming out at 86 yen, it was like probably a pretty good gig. The maximum number of renewals was for, for a total of five years and then they could become a CRT which is a kind of supervisor of Jets, International coordinator etc.

howver over the year MEXT cut funding and prefectures/school boards started outsourcing to private companies, such as interact. as well, over the years the sort of unspoken minimum salary of ¥250,000 per month to get a visa seems to have disappeared and outsourcing companies pay even less now. So this means that AET's, assistant English teachers, can you work for an outsourcing company for an unlimited number of years at a very low salary. no, with a very low yen and our first experiences with inflation and shrinkflation, it can be very tough for people who are making entry-level salaries that don't increase.

and it's an overcrowded market, and right now a buyers market (schools). So AET's are very tough situation.

Cheers

Thanks for the explanation. Sounds like a tough situation.

Society Assistant language teachers struggle for survival

thomas

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mdchachi

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tomoni

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mdchachi

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