You’re having a conference for 7,000 people at the end of next month and haven’t found a venue yet? WTF?
Excellent information! Thanks! I suggest adding this information to “The Knowledge”
So, whoever is going to organize this thing and elect officials has got to be local Taiwanese, but then foreign residents can join. Splendid!
Get this thing off the ground and make it legal, and I’d definitely join. But first, I think you need to recruit some locals to be union officials and create an organization that the government won’t shut down.
I’d also suggest starting small.
I didn’t say that. You can start up an informal organisation run by foreigners, for foreigners. It’s just that you won’t be able to get it registered as a legally constituted organisation or labour union. That does not mean that it is going to get shut down or that anyone is going to get in trouble over it.
I suspect blue-collar migrant workers in Taiwan are self-organising in some ways e.g. Migrante and I doubt the Taiwanese government would shame itself by suppressing such activities.
This whole thing is either stupidity or a scam. I will actuallly be interested to see which it is. My wild conspiracy theory is that it is either:
some type of identity theft scam (common enough in Taiwan) or
some demented project by the Foreign Affairs Police to build a database of english teachers and their computer addresses (I think it will soon be the season for the cops to get extra bonus points for captured illegal english teachers–although I do not have my official NPA “hunting season guide” right at hand.) or
some tax dodge wherein a foreigner realizes “I can set up a fake NGO, list my local wife/girlfriend as the “president” and get tax free (tax reduced) income”.
Of course it may, as a couple of people pointed out, just be a well meaning lad fresh off the boat from foreign shores.
In any event, interesting thread.
[quote=“sandman”]You’re having a conference for 7,000 people at the end of next month and haven’t found a venue yet? WTF?[/quote]Waiting for the RSVP’s to confirm tables and snack needs…
Why? You gonna bring the tater tots? 
You mentioned the movers and shakers you had behind you and said; “…Both judicial and legislative. for security purposes, their names cannot be released just yet.”
Why? do they fear assassination attempts from disgruntled English teachers or (on the other side) disgruntled bushiban owners or both?
You are right to protect their identities, in this modern, post 9-11 world of English teacher terrorism, one can never be too careful. When you are talking to the event planner remind them that you need a bullet proof shield for the podium.
You should also contact Aristotle of SETT or whatever his one-man secret English teacher society is calling itself these days. This kind of thing sounds right up his street.
well, my money is on about 11pm, 25 July at the Chungshan Stadium.
Sounds like that episode of the Simpson’s where Chief Wiggum tells Homer (and other convicts) they won a boat even though they never entered the raffle. Once they arrive to get the boat they club’m over the head. If this is the case (7,000 sketchy illegal English teachers/drug dealers in one spot) it will be like a turkey shoot!
interesting assimilation there.
::::::::::This whole thing is either stupidity or a scam. I will actuallly be interested to see which it is. My wild conspiracy theory is that it is either:
some type of identity theft scam (common enough in Taiwan) or
some demented project by the Foreign Affairs Police to build a database of English teachers and their computer addresses (I think it will soon be the season for the cops to get extra bonus points for captured illegal English teachers–although I do not have my official NPA “hunting season guide” right at hand.) or
some tax dodge wherein a foreigner realizes “I can set up a fake NGO, list my local wife/girlfriend as the “president” and get tax free (tax reduced) income”. :::::::::
on a serious note, no its not fake, nor a scam. thats really a funny proposition though. and drugs??
i guess learning english is kind of addictive. It might be effective enough for us to go out to a local vip room of a pub, and hash out the issues over a few bottles of johnny walker and vanilla icecream, (though 7000 people would be hard to fit in the roxy, the last time i checked). Give me some feedback. what do you guys think? The tentative location is at the NTU campus. as for the “movers and shakers” of the organization, put yourself in their shoes… If you were up for re-election and word got out that you were bankrolling a grassroots organization, we’d have the feds watching our every bowel movement(not mine, I had mexican food last night). We are trying to keep the connection as casual as possible, i.e. I just happen to know a legislative yuan guy and a fed judge who have son inlaws who are american teachers. As far as membership is concerned, a simple email with your name and country you are from is suffice. When you have an issue with a school, let the group know, and they go to bat for you to negotiate. it also helps to have the contract in hand that was drawn up between the school and teachers. We understand the fact that there will always be illegal teachers in taiwan. affiliating with an organization will neither help legitimize what you do, nor turn you in. what you do is your perogative. Any feedback on the surety bond for both teacher and school, rather than the out of pocket expense for deposit?
any specific plans for getting schools on board with this? many of them are illegal in one way or another … and the great majority don’t give a toss about any actual teaching, just about re-enrollment rates. what’s in it for them?
A judge? Really now…
What the fuck are you talking about…“a fed judge”; a “fed judge” where? In the U.S. or in Taiwan? If it is in Taiwan, uhh, last I heard there is only one kind of judge in Taiwan.
You keep using phrases like “as far as membership…”; “membership” in what? Or “if you have a problem let the group’ know”; who is “the group”.
You asked for “feedback”, here is some:
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Please tell me what the scam is, I really want to know. I am an avid collector of Taiwanese scams. Just yesterday I picked up the phone and for about the ten millionith time it was an id theft scam claiming they were the phone company. How does your scam work.
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Do you know anything about Taiwan? or just a troll?
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Do you actually even live here?
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Seriously, I think this is a wonderbar idea. I have long thought a foreign teacher’s union is a grand idea but…since the death of Jimmy Hoffa I have been unable to find anyone willing to bust heads and break legs–which is what a teachers union would require given all the scabs that wash up on these fair shores.
p.s. a bit of NGO vocabulary. you write “If you were up for re-election and word got out that you were bankrolling a grassroots organization,”…uh, a “grassroots organization” is not supposed to be “bankrolled” by members of the elite e.g. “fed judges” and legislators.
p.p.s Are you connected with the Radio Foreigners scam from about six months ago. In that one some guy got on this forum and claimed he was going to set up a real radio station to cater to foreigners and had all the licenses and a place and all the gear and all kinds of backing from “people in high places”----then he stole a bunch of money, got his smiling face on t.v. and, if I remember right, would have got his sorry ass deported back to wherever he came from but for the fact he was married to a local. Are you That Guy Part II ?
In other words, the Gringo is seeking your credentials. You know – who you are, what your experience is in the area of large-scale organizations, what kind of qualifications you have that will persuade us to entrust our “unionizing” efforts to you in particular.
Establish your credentials before asking people to go out of their way to help you or put themsleves on the line for you. Six posts from a place called “taipoop” doesn’t really cut the mustard.
And precisely what proof can you offer that this anonymous so-called “fed” judge and this “Legislative Yuan guy” – are you referring to a lawmaker, a consultant, a janitor? – are going to be willing to “go to bat” for a complete stranger with contract problems or whatever?
I would remove his/her email address until it’s confirmed by a mod or administration. There is potential for abuse and the original poster hasn’t done much to instill confidence in us.
OOOOOOOOh sounds like someone has been taken advantage of before. Still sore? Calm down a little. Come over to taichung and have a beer. Some people really do go to far with it sometimes. A few guys want to get together and fight for the small guy and people like this come along and poop all over the party. If any teacher is serious about getting a fair deal with a school, its only smart to get together with a few others that #1. have been teaching here for a while, #2. know people who have the power to make a change. I’m sure this is clear to most of the people that are watching this thread.
I ain’t saying one way or the other, but a very recent “join date” plus content like this is bound to set off people’s alarm bells. Do you have any idea how many “one-issue” posters we get on f.com, most of whom fade away rather rapidly?
Real organizations have addresses, contact details, and real names, and put out realistic content before holding mass meetings. Well, except for the Cultural Revolution in the PRC, but that’s another story.
The main credential in this case would seem to be how long has the OP been in Taiwan and what is his experience with a) English teaching and b) organizations/unions. Neither question has been answered thus far.
we do live in a country full of scam artists. Given this, i can understand MR. old gringo’s response. The fact still remains that Ftat really is about foreign teacher advocacy. Of course, skepticism will bring the ugliest of colors of some gringos, but time will tell. Its as simple as that. I personally have 5 years experience teaching Toefl, 2-3 of them in taiwan. I teach university level students in a wealthy predominantly taiwanese city in so-cal. and through such, I have had the fortunate opportunity to meet politicians, entrepreneurs, fellow school owners, professors, etc. Teaching is a hobby of mine, as the bulk of my time is spent on investments. Right now, I’m working on a few small investments in taichung/hualian/jiayi/xinchu, of which are a few toefl cram schools. If anyone happens to pass through/lives in these areas feel free to give me a ring; we can do coffee or beer.0989220050 Mr.Gringo, you too are welcome to call me. Pardon my shortness, duty calls…