Author Archive for president2010

In Case of Evacuation

March 18, 2011

Fellow Union Members

If you should decide to evacuate:

I do not mean this memo to panic anyone.  The news is worrying enough as it is.

I would like to suggest a list of things you can do to prepare in case you must leave.  How much preparation depends on you.  Please take a look at the list. See if anything might help you.

Know where your international documents are.  Passport/ International Driver’s license should be readily available and copies made along with scans to store in an email account. Make sure you also have your home ID and driver’s documents as well.

Do you have a set of keys for your home country?

Have a phone number/ email address and physical address you can submit if asked for it.

Is your passport up to date? Is your reentry permit current for the next 6 months?  Re-entry permits as a rule are valid for the length of your visa.  Some though are for one journey out and others allow you to come and go freely within the visa term.  Check if it is single or multiple.

Is your Foreign Resident Card up to date?  Have you changed jobs, addresses or your passport since the card was issued? It will need to be amended.  It takes a short time to do at your local office.  Check your ID to make sure they are updated. You might need it to repatriate funds from Japan as well if your are dealing with Shakai Hoken/Kokumin and other pension refunds.

Inform your company you will be leaving/evacuating.  Arrangements might need to be made for payment or contact.  Companies in Japan are legally required to list their foreign employees.

Know how much money you have available and your state of finances.  Do you have funds tied up in Certificates of Deposit? Do you have money scattered in various banks?  How much money is currently owed on your credit card? Call them up and see.  There is a phone number at the bottom of the card, they have people who speak English. Speak slowly and clearly, they will transfer you through.

Go to your banks and update your books.  Many banks have a special machine for just updating if you do not use internet banking and still use a bank book.  I say this for various reasons.  Sometimes we forget cash or think we have more than is.  Sometimes a family member sends money into an account.

Know your net worth.  While you are there, check if your cash card is “international” allowing you to access your funds from overseas. Payday is the 28th at our company, if you must leave beforehand and cannot get a cash allowance, you will still have access.  Some banks have the word international on the front only, another have a plus or cirrus logo on the back like you might see on a credit card. Consider making one if it can be done in a few days.

You might even want to ask for paper copies of bank transaction forms.  Pencil the meanings lightly at the bottoms, one at a time to avoid transfering on them.  Go to the foreign counter of your bank and ask the clerk for them.

Do you have your checkbook from home? Other bank info from home should also be with it and readily available.

Go through your wallet, look and see what is inside.  You might have lots of membership cards you can suddenly do without. Rubber band them together and put them in a place you will remember later.  Sort out your cards and check they are current.  (US cash cards have expiration dates, point cards have validity.)  Clearing out your wallet allows you to remove the bulk when you have to start carrying larger amounts of cash.

Your wallet should fit in a pocket securely.  Bulging unwieldy wallets are a no-no. They tend to lose things, people forget and lay them down instead of repocketing them and you waste time searching through needless detritus. Keep it organized.

Know your mileage number, airlines sometimes take partial mileage to move people in a disaster. With many people it is on the bottom of their credit cards. Or write it on a piece of scotch tape and tape it on the card away from the magnetic strip.

Consider carrying an amount of cash.  If you have spare paper money/ cash from a past trip, take it along.  The benefit of cash is it works when computer systems fail.

Travelers’ checks are as good as the company that issues them.  They need to be signed once on each before you leave the place you purchase them and they are signed at the place you use them later. Many places demand ID, so again keep your ID current.

Sending money home by telegraphic transfer is another option.  Some banks let you use Llyods to transfer, you can also transfer money to your bank in your own country. Be aware each bank handling the transaction will call a charge on it even if you check the “all funds paid this side.”  Keep your receipt, you might be able to argue a refund.

Turn your attention to your home, as hard as this is to think about, you might be leaving it for the last time or at best for a while.

Look around and see what needs to be thrown out in the way of perishables.  Nothing is worse than coming back to stink and roaches. Empty your trash.

If you do not want to wash your laundry before you leave, stuff it in the washer or leave it in trash bags. It will funk after a while.

Unplug everything if you leave.  Make sure the refrigerator is empty; nothing is left inside no cans, jars or eggs.  Opened juice pet-plastic bottles will ferment and explode.

Make sure you have removed/secured as much of your personal information as possible.  Do not leave credit card bills and things with passwords around.  Take your address book. Where are your spare keys?

Straighten up your home as if you were intending to return.  Sometimes you have to due to travel disruptions.  Do not burn your bridges, no keys dropped in mailbox.  No one likes coming into a messy home.  Your landlord will thank you for that.  Some apartments also return fees at end of lease. Enough said.

If you have a pet, please don’t just turn it loose or abandon it. Be the parent you should be and make arrangements.

Notify the post office you will be leaving. You can go inside and at the counter ask them to hold your mail.  They can do so for up to a month, if the mail is unclaimed beyond the specified date it will be returned to the original sender.  Be sure to specify you will pick it up at the post office (or have it delivered to your company) so it isn’t just delivered on day 30 to your home mailbox.  You do not want your mail with personal info sitting around in your mailbox for extended periods of time. Make sure your Foreign Registration Card is valid and up to date to do this.

Packing your bag:

First time evacuees:

Wear clothes that are comfortable, appropriate to the season, and can be washed.

Some wear two t shirts so one can be washed and dried while the other is worn.

Take care of your feet.  Nails should be trimmed to prevent ingrown nails. You will be standing a lot.  Feet swell and perspire.  If you have foot ointment take it with you, trust me on this.  Wear shoes that are comfortable and will protect your feet.

Pack enough that you can reasonably carry.  The old rule is wear what the weather is here, pack what the weather will be there.  Where are you going?  Think and plan.

Some airlines will not allow roller board as carry ons for domestic flights, so keep something like a smaller soft canvass/nylon bag  you can quickly put your essentials into. Military transport can be less forgiving.  Make sure your passport and wallet can stay in a pocket of an inner garment in case you must leave a coat quickly and bag quickly.

When you pack, take things out of plastic and remove hangers.  Fold items so they will fill the shape of the bag. If your suitcase is 20 cms (8 inches) wide by 40 cms (16 inches) long, then fold your clothes just a bit smaller to lay inside. You can carry more.

Things settle in time and with weight.  If you have extra space you can wiggle in an extra couple of pairs of socks and undergarments.

Do not force zippers, they will break. Have a lock approved by TSA (little red triangle logo), in fact have two, just in case.

TSA allows you to carry liquids in a small plastic bag.  Keep an extra small bag or two just in case or for dirty laundry. Take band-aids. I also have medical tape for feet blisters.

Take a book and if you have them take earplugs too. (Screaming children?) It will guarantee you some privacy when you need time to yourself.  You can trade books with fellow travelers.

Take some gum with a sugar base; if your blood sugar drops, you have something to stop the shakes.  Chocolate not in foil (airport x-ray) is also a good choice.

If you are a parent traveling with a child, my heart goes out to you.  (I will have earplugs though.)  You need to plan for not only you, but your child. There are websites which offer excellent advice.

Tell people who need to know where you are going. Privacy of information laws in Japan being as they are, that information may not be available to just anyone you think will know.  Posting on the web has its good and bad points – consider them. (Informing your Union is also helpful. Use the begunto1@yahoo.com address or mine below please)

Subsequently if you live in a larger building with a cleaning service, tell them or the concierge service.  Many will keep your mailbox clear of fliers.  It is good for everyone concerned.

If you chose to leave, be informed and please be as prepared as you can be.

I hope my suggestions prove helpful.  They are mine from past experience.  Any feed back or suggestions are gratefully accepted.

Paul Kennedy President Berlitz General Union Tokyo

begunto_president2010@yahoo.com

 

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do NOT freeze batteries

March 17, 2011
Fellow Members,
Prior to 1980, we were told batteries should be put in the freezer.
Newer technology makes this unnecessary, in fact a few members gave feedback saying cold might damage them or shorten their life span.
Just keep them in a safe place.
Thank you!
Paul Kennedy President Begunto
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Ongoing Emergency Preparation

March 16, 2011

Ongoing Measures resulting from Earthquakes

Terminology

Last night at 10:30 pm the Kanto plain got a jolt registering 6 on the Japanese scale which is broken down into 7 categories, most people have experienced 4 or 5.  Last night was listed as a strong 6 “shin-do.” If you listen to the radio or watch TV, become acquainted with the terminology:  Roku Kyo (strong six), Roku Jyaku (weak six).  Five or higher is dangerous.

While the Richter scale is open ended and is the system we use in America and else where, the ratings do not necessarily correspond to the Japanese scale.

Tsunami means tidal wave.  If you hear the phrase “Tsunami wa shinpai shinaide kudasai” means don’t worry about there being an tsunami.  ”Tsunami ni gochui kudasai” means be careful of tsunami.

Oh-kaji means big fire. Kaji is fire. Byooin is hospital, if you should need it. Abunai means danger.

Keep a mental map of where you are:

Now is a good time to get familiar with your surroundings.  Download a pdf, print and tab save on your browser a map of the your immediate area.  Walk around and find key landmarks which look durable.  Learn to Triangulate- find two landmarks and figure out where you are.  It is a useful skill especially if you are in a black out.  Taller buildings have to have illumination for aircraft collision avoidance.

 

Keep your passport, ID card, unemployment card and other documents where you know you can get them.  I know the government will not appreciate this suggestion, but take the time to scan/ copy them and keep in a copy safe, send off one set to a trusted friend or relative, and keep one in a secure internet email if you need to retrieve it later.  Use your good judgement on how you handle your personal information.  Have it accessible if you need to evacuate.

Make a contact list in your yahoo/gmail/msn account.  Over the past week email has worked better than sms and phones.  Think about making a “note in a bottle” email. This is an email you send to yourself with all contacts listed in bcc. You keep the original in your draft folder blank so you can access it easily write on it and send it out.  Test one to make sure you have not used too many addresses- some sites have limits.

I make this suggestion of bcc as Privacy laws in Japan being as they are, we should not be “cc”ing people.

When you do make email follow these simple rules:

  1. put the date and time (some servers only date email as it sends,so a long queue held email will have the time it was launched not written)
  2. put your location
  3. make the email as light weight as possible. If you have to send photos know the system will take longer to process heavy data

 

Have your earthquake kit ready just in case. Your items are up to you.  I prefer protein bars over canned food, water in smaller bottles that can be filled again separately, medical tape for blisters, extra underwear and socks. Lots of socks – they can be used for gloves, go over water bottles, a second pair when your feet are cold or your shoes stretch out after getting wet. A foldable heat resistant film blanket also works. Unwaxed dental floss can be used for string to tie or cut food with two chopsticks. A few meters of aluminum foil folded up in a ziploc bag with a trash bag(=raincoat) as well.  Every thing goes in Ziploc bags because they are great to hold other things. You will need  nail clippers, trust me. Sugary gum is for when blood sugar drops. Pack two wash cloths and a lighter, powdered coffee/tea & aspirin.  I also keep chopsticks, playing cards and ear plugs in my kit.

We are now seeing shortages of batteries 5 days into this quake event.  Locate the batteries you have and are disposable. Tape them together side by side as they were used so you get an idea of how much power they have and place them in a ziploc and freeze them to help conserve power.  (make sure they are placed high up in freezer if power fails and things defrost.) It also keeps them in a save place. If you aren’t using it, disconnect it.

Things that have batteries if you have to scavenge:  door bells, sweater shavers, trimmers, electric razors, look in desk/kitchen drawers, wii controls, all the remotes you don’t use (lights, stereo)

The area which produce a lot of Tokyo’s food was up north also.  Some things we are finding hard to get include bread, milk and rice. Convenience stores are being gutted.

Pay attention to the boxes left out in the aisles of stores, the clerks cannot restock shelves fast enough and some are filled with glass to prevent breakage. Your items might be underfoot.

Take a few minutes and figure out what food you currently have. Check the expiration dates.  Any cans that are heavily dented on a seem, are leaking or bulging should be tossed in the trash.  Being treated for food poisoning in a crisis is near impossible.

Genmai (brown rice) can be soaked for 3 or 4 hours and is edible as is, I have done this before by accidentally forgetting to turn on my rice cooker and it did “cook.”  I don’t recommend it unless it is the last option; there is a risk of food poisoning when food is not heated and stored cold.  Powdered mashed potatoes, quinoa and couscous work much the same way if we have no power.

Canned milk (condensed is thickened and has sugar; evaporated is just partially dehydrated, no sugar aded) even comes in tubes when it is condensed milk.

Make sure you have enough small bills (1000s )and coins (100s) to get you through possible power outages. Registers won’t work without power.

At home a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide are good to have for cuts and minor hygeine issues. Take some kitchen paper towels and fold them to fit into ziploc bag, fill with rubbing alcohol, they become wipes.)

If you have an old cell phone, charge it and see if the battery holds. You can use it as an illuminator.

A few things to think about:

After an earthquake evacuation:

When walking after a quake, look up  and don’t walk under power lines.

Keep your ID in a secure pocket of an inner most garment- if you have to take off a coat and your wallet is there, you are out of luck.

Keep your keys with you at all time.  They can be used to pry open things, make noise and saw.

Periodically stop and assess yourself.  See that you are not hurt, hunching your back which could strain muscles, and your shoes are tied and take a bathroom break.

Set a down time for a low batter on phone. When my cell goes to 40% of battery, I turn it off and turn it on 10 minutes every hour to conserve power.  My smart phone continuously burns power trying to mail out and update mail.  So I turn it off. Turn off the blue tooth function to save your battery.

 

Old or spare laptops are great to watch a movie if you are in a black out, but turn off bluetooth and wireless to extend battery. Set the computers to power save mode and click down a couple on the screen illuminator; it will add battery life. Using MP4 or WMV files in the computer instead of disc or extended hard drive also ensure longer battery life. Turn off every application you are not using.

Also keep in mind with the disruption caused by the earthquake, post going in and out will be delayed. Airmail will be slower, courier packages will not arrive as quickly.

 

These are suggestions I have found helpful in the past. They are from my personal experience.  I hope these ideas help.If you have others you wish to add, please let me know

Paul Kennedy President Begunto

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Preparation for Rolling Black Outs

March 13, 2011
Fellow Union Members,
Tomorrow morning ( March 14) from 6 am until 10 am and again in the evening, we will be experiencing power outages.  We are not sure how long they will be continue. These are designed to roll across the Kanto plain.  This is in response to the limited power being produced up in Fukushima. The blackouts will be in a three hour span of time. Keep abreast with the news.
So far Arakawa is the only part of in Tokyo along with the other 5 zones designated  in the black out list. Things might change. Saitama and Kanagawa are mentioned.  Trains will be stopping.  Some lines have already stopped.  Try not to venture too far from home.
If you do not have adequate cash after the weekend, please get it now.
Smaller bills are preferable as registers won’t work without electricity.
Know where your fuse box is. After blackouts/power outages, some fuse boxes trip a safety and don’t automatically turn back on. You need to do so manually. Take a look at your fuse box and get accustomed to where the switches should be.  There is also a reset button that might need to be pressed/flipped.
Recharge your phones, and computers. If you have rechargeable batteries make sure they are charged.
Once things have recharged, unplug them. If there are power surges they might damage your equipment.
Don’t forget many cell phones and smart phones along with newer ipods have radio function. (FM 81.3 JWave, NHK and FEN (military) might be available in your area for broadcast.
Fill your bathtubs with water for flushing water.
Make sure you have adequate drinkable water, if the water system stops. (My area had no water after the quake.) Vending machines will cease operation without power.
If you have perishable food, freeze it/dispose of it. Keep canned food available.
Fill containers with water and place them in the freezer to prolong cooling.
Stock your refrigerator with beverages.
Don’t open refrigerator doors often.
Make sure you have candles/batteries for flash lights.
Arrange one or two days worth of clean clothing. Keep it in an easily accessible place.
Most convenience stores are stripped from the Friday  (March 11) earthquake.  Please don’t delay.
I wish to get this out as soon as possible.
Hopefully the notification is for a minor inconvenience but I would rather have us all prepared.
Paul Kennedy President Begunto
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Berlitz Has No Time For Compassion

September 14, 2010

Yesterday at 2:00 p.m. Begunto Execs, Nambu General Secretary Nakajima and union members joined to face off against Berlitz Japan Management and their lawyers to demand Catherine Campbell be given her job back after returning from Canada due to cancer treatment.

Though Management claimed too much time had lapsed, when Campbell asked Human Resources directly to respond to her question, the lawyers answered instead.  The question was simple, could she have her job back because the Work Rules has a specific clause on page 19 allowing MGT to waive the time restriction when asking for time off due to illness.  A specific email from 2004 was quoted, which was a response to the Union asking MGT to not make time off too specific because some illnesses were hard to predict.

Ironically Campbell was the one asking for the ability to extend time off years before she would face this illness.

The question remains, now that she is back and wants to work does Berlitz have the compassion to let her?

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