News
GU Secures High School Jobs
A flurry of calls from existing union members over the last month or so has happily ended in victory in all the cases.
Strikes start at Nichibei Eigo Gakuin
On Monday, March 31st, union members at Nichibei's Umeda School carried out 3 strikes in group and private lessons.
Teachers oppose Nova ban on interaction with students
OSAKA. A teacher and a former teacher at the Osaka-based Nova foreign-language school have sought the Osaka Bar Association's help in protecting their human rights, saying that Nova Co's ban on personal interaction between teachers and students is discriminatory.
Nova's ban on dating violates rights
OSAKA (Kyodo) A teacher and former teacher of Nova Corp. filed a complaint Friday with the Osaka Bar Association claiming their human rights have been violated by the company's policy of banning dating between foreign teachers and students.
NOVA teachers fight ban on associating with students
OSAKA -- Teachers at major English conversation school NOVA asked lawyers on Friday for help in fighting school rules banning them from associating with students.
Introduction to General Union Tokai Branch
Tokai Branch is the General Union Branch to which all GU members in Aichi Prefecture and neighbouring areas (Mie, Gifu, etc.) belong, unless they are designated to a workplace-specific branch (for example, ECC, Berlitz, Nagoya Gaidai). Tokai Branch includes conversation school teachers, ALTs, university teachers, and other workers.
GU busts Nishinomiya board contract limits
On October 15, the General Union received a simple document bearing the seal of the Nishinomiya Board of Education (NBofE) stating that the five year contract limits imposed on foreign teachers working at the board would be lifted.
Doshisha High School
As reported in last month’s “Voice”, our member had a massive cut in teaching hours, from 18 to 12. Seeing that no reason was offered for the cut in hours and the impact that it would have had on our member’s livelihood, the union decided to act.
Tokai Gakuen High School
This establishment decided to make its long-serving native speaker English teachers redundant, in order to replace them with dispatch company staff.
University teachers demand unemployment insurance rights
The National Unemployment Insurance (Koyou Hoken) is running a deficit and the government is attempting to increase contributions to pay for it.
Union wins cap on consecutive teaching hours
On 12 April 2001, the General Union Nichibei Branch sent demands to the company to return the maximums on teaching hours to the customary 5 x Private lessons and 3 x Group Lessons. Collective Bargaining was held on 22 June and 27 July, 2001, and after many letters back and forth, a basic agreement was reached.
Unfair Labour Practices cases settled
AGREEMENT Regarding Unfair Labour Practice Cases 'Heisei 10, No. 23', and 'Heisei 11, No. 85', filed at the Osaka Prefectural Labour Relations Commission
Union Makes Progress at Kangaku
On October 17th 2000 the General Union held negotiations with Kwansei Gakuin University.
Nichibei Eigo Gakuin: Union leader wins court case
Back to School The Osaka District Court has ordered a private English school in Osaka's Kita-ku to pay back wages and rehire a former teacher who was fired last year for organizing a strike at the school.
Kangaku Pay Cut blocked
The second round of negotiations between The General Union and the Kangaku administration took place on February 29th.
Kangaku Teachers Oppose Pay-cut
Kwansei Gakuin announced a proposed 30% pay-cut, which is to begin in the spring term of 2000, for part-time foreign teachers in the English department.
Language teachers' union protests Nichibei dismissals
From the Japan Times Tuesday, May 12, 1998 Language teachers' union protests Nichibei dismissals OSAKA -- An English-language schools' labor union filed a complaint Tuesday with the Osaka Prefectural Local Labor Relations Commission, claiming an Osaka-based language school violated the Labor Union Law in its handling of employees.
Nichibei Branch spreads across Kansai, makes fresh start
DEMANDS 1. Obey the Labour Standards Law.
Nichibei Union wins Pay Rise
The following Collective Agreement was signed between the General Union and Nichibei English Service on 3 April 1996 after Collective Bargaining over the Nichibei Eigo Gakuin branch's Shunto demands of 16 February 1996:
OSAKA BAR ASSOCIATION RULING (Drug testing)
"We ask you to give consideration to human rights even more from now on in your company's operations and in the management of your schools to and to cooperate in raising consciousness of human rights in Japan."
Nichibei Union wins major concessions from Company
AGREEMENT Nichibei Eigo Gakuin, hereafter referred to as ‘the company’, and the General Union, hereafter referred to as ‘the union’, have, as a result of the recent Collective Bargaining, reached an agreement, as expressed below.
Union Achievements at ECC
The following are a list of some of the major General Union achievements at ECC since 1996.
- Pay Increases 2016 - Across the board 35yen/hr pay increase
- Pay Increases 2015 - First ever across the board pay increase, not linked to performance, for union members
- First Aid Kits
- English pay slips
- Flexible paid annual leave (ALPs)
- Unemployment Insurance (koyo hoken)
- Health and Pension Insurance (shakai hoken)
- Established grievance procedure
- Negotiated for “Influenza” Leave
- Special Leave for marriages and funerals
- Water Coolers (in schools with no kitchens)
- Improved emergency evacuation procedures
- Toll free number for Kinki district sub teachers
- At least 10 days notice for Buffer Day and Block Meeting/ASM shifts
- Agreement to consult with the union over major changes to working conditions Mandatory training to be conducted during working hours or paid at the “overtime rate” (excluding core training)
