May Calendar:

Okamoto collective bargaining
7 May

Elize Labour Commission
8 May

Okamoto Labour Commission
9 May

Shinobu Foods deadline
10 May

General Union Executive Committee Meeting
12 May

No Borders collective bargaining
13 May

Osaka Gaigo deadline
17 May

ECC branch meeting
19 May

Kansai Gaidai Labour Commission
21 May

Kansai Gaidai Labour Commission
21 May

Okamoto Labour Commission
23 May

Peppy Kids Labour Commission
23 May

ActNOW! Campaigns

Bangladesh Garment factory collapse toll passes 620 [CBC]  ActNOW!  2013-05-07

Fiji ‘It’s time to turn the heat up on the Fiji regime’ [Equal Times] For more info 2013-05-07

Hong Kong / China Union of Hong Kong Dockers call an end to 40 day strike [ITF] ActNOW!  2013-05-07

Bangladesh / Europe EU must push for fundamental rights in Bangladesh garment sector [IndustriALL Global Union]  ActNOW! 2013-05-07

Egypt Live ammo used to intimidate striking cement factory workers [Daily News Egypt] For more info 2013-05-07

USA AFL-CIO critical of Obama helping Wal-Mart to burnish fading brand [AFL-CIO] 2013-05-07

Australia Export of chrysotile asbestos must be controlled under Rotterdam Convention[ACTU] 2013-05-06

France Thousands of unionists join Left Front protests to mark Hollande's first year austerity policies [France 24] 2013-05-06

Bahrain Release Mahdi - support the Amnesty International campaign [Amnesty International] 2013-05-06

Cambodia Union leader murdered nearly ten years ago - now honoured [Al Jazeera] 2013-05-06

26 April 2013
General Union gears up for a new year!

The 2013 Annual General Meeting brought together about 90 union members who listened to officer reports covering the different GU sectors (Private Language Industry - PLI, Schools and Colleges - SAC, Industrial and Commercial - I&C), and the annual finance report and budget.
 
 Members who have won recent victories or are currently in dispute also asked for support in their workplaces and thanked union members for their past help. 
 
 The current branch chair of the Peppy Kids Club Branch spoke about his dismissal for union activity and how he was touched to see the number of members in his branch grow after he was fired. The solidarity in this branch will guarantee a victory and many new union activists. Keep reading...

　

April 2013
Our GABA Branch's hanami party in Tokyo

13 April 2013
Union welcomes ALL to open seminars - 21 April

The General Union welcomes members and non members alike to attend our open seminars from 4PM which follows the Annual General Meeting (members only) on 21 April at L-Osaka in Temmabashi.

Last October’s open seminars were a great success. Members were even heard to say, “I wish the seminar could have been longer,” which is not something most people say about union meetings.

So come on out and learn about your rights! Keep reading...

　

12 April 2013
A win at No Borders International School

Having asked their employer to enroll them in health & pension (shakai hoken) and unemployment insurance, teachers became frustrated when No Borders insisted that teachers pay ridiculously high premiums. The premiums were so inflated that we suspect No Borders was attempting to have teachers pay the company's part of the premiums.Keep reading...

　

11 April 2013
Job security at ECC...coming soon???

The General Union's campaigning for job security at ECC has seen some major changes. From this spring teachers can become seishain and are also one step closer to permanent employment.

Native teachers now have the opportunity to be promoted to seishain with recommendations from their supervisors. ECC management has told the union that from March 1st, native teachers working in schools will also be eligible forseishain positions. Native teachers promoted to seishain will have to complete 10 hours of extra non-teaching duties. In the words of ECC management, "This is one big step forward". Though with only 2 native teachers (both district office workers) being promoted to seishain this spring, the General Union will pay close attention to ECC's sincerity in the promotion of actual teaching staff to seishain. ECC employees can be recommended for seishain positions by managers throughout the year with appointment starting in March, June, September and December. Keep reading...

　

21 March 2013
Hanami BBQ party: 7 April

It's that time of year again - time for getting together and enjoying spring at our annual Hamami party by the river. This year we are having Brazilian BBQ! Date: Sunday, 7 April  Time: from 1pm until about 6pm Place: Across from Temmabashi Station on the river bank. Look out for the union flags. You can find a map here.  1,000YEN for food and soft drinks. We sell the beer. It’s a good time with usually about 40 or 50 people. Bring your family, or a friend. Members and non-members alike welcome.

　

18 March 2013
Annual General Meeting: 21 April from 2PM. Open seminars from 4PM

General Union members from across the Kansai area and delegates from union branches in Tokyo and Nagoya will meet on 21 April to discuss this year's activity, elect a new executive committee, and hold our important strike vote.
We hope to see you at L-0saka with a party to follow at the union office.

Nomination forms are available for union members at the agm website.

FROM 4PM - All Welcome to our OPEN SEMINARS

Seminar 1: New Labour Contract law - find out how this will impact on your working life and learn how to best take advantage of this law requiring permanent employment after 5 years.

Seminar 2: Your rights at work - Paid holidays; employment, health, and pension insurance; dismissals, etc. Find out what the law says you should be getting at work.

　

7 March 2013
GABA assures union: "We are determined to improve working conditions"

On Monday March 5th 2013 the General Union Gaba branch held our first collective bargaining session of the year with Gaba. 

Five members and three union representatives attended, and we made it clear that we expected improvements, and ultimately, the company said that they were "determined to improve conditions" for instructors, and that they were considering increasing the TNT bonus and the per lesson pay rate. Keep reading...

　

　

5 March 2013
It's a matter of dignity - opinion piece

I work at one of the "better" high schools. It is that is basically a feeder school to a few universities in the Kansai region. As a part-timer, or hijokin in Japanese, I am treated well enough. I'm even enrolled in health and pension insurance.

All that changed this week as I attempted to prepare for the new semester. With a rebuilding program almost completed, we moved into new classrooms and offices.

They say change is a good thing, well, I'm not so sure. Keep reading...

　

　

21 February 2013
Teachers and suit jackets. Here's what teachers said.

Back in December we asked the question "Does wearing a jacket make you a better teacher?" In 2 months we had a total of 138 respondents and the answer was a resounding "No". All 138 people said that jackets have no bearing on the quality of teaching.

Our second question asked if students want teachers to wear jackets. While a large majority believe that students do not care, 22 people responded that they believe students want us to wear jackets.

Our original question came about when ECC tried to tie wearing a jacket to evaluations by school directors, with this influencing pay increases. Through negotiations, the ECC branch has since forced the company to stop their plans. Saying that though, the company is heavily encouraging teachers to wear jackets. And GABA, despite teachers not being employees, still demands it. Keep reading...

　

6 February 2013
Tezukayama University faces criminal charges of labour standards violations

Unpaid Allowances in the 2010 School Year
Tezukayama University in Nara failed to pay a General Union member an allowance for cancelled classes. Classes scheduled to be taught in September 2010 were cancelled by the university on the grounds that “not enough students had signed up. Tezukayama paid the September wages, but nothing for the rest of the semester.
The union sent demands to the university asking that the cancelled classes be paid for as per the Labour Standards Law since the cancelled work was attributable to the employer. However, the university refused payment, insisting that “according to the employment contract, we only have to pay one month's worth of the wages”; that “the university has the authority to cancel classes at its own discretion”; and that “the cancellation was not for reasons attributable to the university”. Keep reading...

　

30 January 2013
Your rights at risk

ECC wants to restrict your private lives, and dictate who you can socialize with. Your personal rights are endangered.
Now’s a good time to support yourself and your colleagues in fighting for our basic human rights. Being a member protects YOU and your working conditions. Say NO to ECC management’s proposed “no-socialization with students” policy.
The union is concerned that you could be disciplined, non-renewed or even fired for:

• A chance meeting in public

• Accepting a social invitation from a student

• Attending a student organized event

• Perhaps, for even accepting friend requests on Facebook, or being followed on Twitter.

• And even more???? Keep reading...

　

22 January 2013
Berlitz Collective Bargaining

1. CTL Courtesy Calls
 We have been told that MIs will be asked to inform the office staff to tell teachers about CTLs when possible. We wish to see if this is happening. Please let us know if you are not informed about your CTLs.
 
 2. Participate In Training And Workshops
 We have been told that MIs will be informed to let all instructors know about upcoming training sessions, and allow all instructors to participate who have not already been invited to do so. Let us know if you are not being informed. Keep reading...

　

12 January 2013
University & school teachers will not be victims of new Labour Contract Law

In August 2012 a new law was passed in Japan to enhance job security for the more than 30% of employees working on limited term contracts. The law is supposed to ensure that after five years of continuous employment from the date the law comes into effect, 1 April 2013, that the worker is legally entitled to receive a contract without a term limit. This means your employer would need a real reason to end your employment. They would no longer be able just to tell you, “Thanks for your efforts, but your contract is up.”

However because of the efforts and influence of pro-business politicians and organisations, the law is full of loopholes which employers can exploit to undermine the law's stated purpose, which is to increase employment security for workers on limited term contracts. For example, it doesn't include time spent working for an employer before April 1st 2013 and time spent working for an employer before a six-month "cooling-off period" (break) in employment. Keep reading...
　

1 January 2013
Berlitz union wins raise, bonus in settlement (Japan Times)
¥110 million claim against teachers, union execs dropped, ending four-year fight

By JAMES McCROSTIE
 
The four-year legal battle between management and teachers at Berlitz Japan was declared over Thursday as both sides signed an agreement to end the company's lawsuit against union officials.
 
Claiming an 11-month strike by unionized teachers to be illegal, Berlitz Japan had sued five teachers, two union executives and Begunto, the teachers' union, for ¥110 million.
 
In addition to dropping its suit, the company agreed to pay current union members a base-up raise and a lump-sum bonus to the union. Current Begunto President Paul Kennedy said the "lump sum can be designated for use by the union membership," and that the union has yet to come to a decision on what to do with the money. Keep reading on the Japan Times website.

　

5 December 2012
Does wearing a jacket make you a better teacher?

Some language schools, including ECC and Gaba, have policies that either require teachers to wear a jacket, or at least heavily encourages it. ECC even links salary increases to wearing a jacket. Take our survey and tell us what you think. You don't have to work in eikaiwa. The survey is for both language school teachers and those working at high schools and universities. See the survey results.

　

　

　

16 December 2012
Winter 2012 - National Union Voice Online

Visit www.voice.generalunion.org to read your copy online.
Our new full archives of past editions is currently in the works.

　

15 December 2012
Protect jobs. Fight for job security.

Visit www.gu.generalunion.org/UniSchoolsMtg for more information and to download the leaflet.
You can let us know if you're attending by sending us an RSVP.

　

　

　

　

14 December 2012
Osaka University to introduce 5 year limit for PT teachers. Others to follow?

The General Union, along with other trade unions and individual teachers has been informed by Osaka University that it intends to amend its working rules from next Aprilto include a five year limit for its part-time teachers. Ironically, the reason given by the university for introducing the limit is the passage through the Diet in August of this year of a law aimed at increasing security of employment of workers on limited term contracts. Keep reading...

　

4 December 2012
Peppy Kids Club fires branch chair - union moves into action

After eight years of service, the chair of our newly formed union branch at Peppy English Kids Club has been fired for union activity. The company will claim it is a simple case of “contract non-renewal” for poor performance amongst other things, but after eight years and eight consecutive contracts, the union strongly believes it is an illegal firing under Japanese Trade Union Law. 

However, the firing has not had the intended effect. Even more teachers at the company have joined the union out of disgust with the actions of management in dismissing the branch chair. Keep reading...

Official mediation talks with Epion (Mabuchi, Willway) at Osaka Labor Commission over a 14,000 yen pay cut to our member's salary. Graham is one of the rare foreigners working at a language school in Japan who has permanent employment. We believe the excessive pay cut is an attempt to force him to resign.

　

More news at www.generalunion.org

www.generalunion.org

Opinion articles sought:
The union is running a series of opinion pieces and we are calling for submissions from members. We are looking for opinion pieces that relate to work place issues. We are hoping to generate discussion within the union and the wider foreign community. Submissions should be around 500 words and should be submitted in a word document to .
You can see the last two articles:
'No hands' policy 

Joining the GU: Now more than ever, no time to waste

It's a matter of dignity

National Union Voice Online:

www.voice.generalunion.org

Past Issues

Summer 2012 (html/pdf)

Spring 2012 (html/pdf)

Winter 2011 (html/pdf)

Summer 2011 (html/pdf)

Spring 2011 (html/pdf)

More past issues to come!

Community Corner:
Do you have community events or announcements that you would like to send to union members. Please send them to tesolat@generalunion.org
for our consideration.