TozenAdmin (Reuters) – Japan is considering expanding a controversial program that now offers workers from China and elsewhere permits to work for up to three years, as the world’s fastest-aging nation scrambles to plug gaps in a rapidly shrinking workforce.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday submitted a proposal to let workers to stay for up to five years, relax hiring rules for employers and boost the number of jobs open to them.
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Tozen Activists Chat with Activist Noam Chomsky
ノーム・チョムスキーは来日中、東ゼン労組の活動家と話し合いを
Leaders and members of Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union (“Tozen Union”) met Saturday afternoon (March 8, 2014) with Professor Noam Chomsky at Café Lavandería in Shinjuku, Tokyo, at an event hosted by Tokyo Spring.
２０１４年３月８日、
The activist and linguist expressed great interest in the activities of both Tozen Union and Tokyo Spring. “I’d like to know what you guys are doing,” Chomsky said.
チョムスキー教授は東ゼン労組と東京スプリングの活動に関して深
Several members of both organizations asked questions and related their experiences in activism and organizing.
集まれた活動家はチョムスキー教授に質問をしたり、
Tozen member Matthew Allen discussed the dangers of union leaders becoming a “coordinator class” with unwarranted power. Chomsky suggested that efforts to eliminate all division of labor have failed.
東ゼン労組のマシュー・
Sulejman Brkic, Tokyo Spring activist and member of Tozen Union, MCed the event, while Tozen Union General Secretary Louis Carlet interpreted between Japanese and English. Tozen President Hifumi Okunuki presented Chomsky with a calligraphy-written haiku (see below). Brkic gave him the black and red flag of anarcho-communism on behalf of Tokyo Spring.
東京スプリングの活動家および東ゼン労組の組合員を兼ねるスレ
Chomsky encouraged Tozen and Tokyo Spring activists to continue their efforts and said “Anything that you are achieving that undermines and threatens systems of power will meet with oppression. Systems of power don’t say ‘thank you.’ What’s important is not to focus all your efforts on the oppression, but to continue the constructive work.”
チョムスキー教授は東ゼン労組と東京スプリングの活動を励ました
The Tozen GABA Workers Union is officially in dispute with the company over it’s unfair disciplinary action (不当懲戒処分) against Local Executive President Tyler Christensen.
We are fighting for the right to work unpaid overtime.
Say what?
Yes, we are fighting for the right to work unpaid overtime without facing discipline from the company.
“A Pension Agency enforcement directive continues to make it explicitly easier for employers to avoid paying pension and insurance contributions on behalf of their foreign employees who teach languages as compared with Japanese employees in similar positions. It also does not establish penalties for employers who illegally fail to enroll foreign teachers in the system. Employers may use different contracts for foreigners than for nationals, and courts have generally upheld this distinction as nondiscriminatory.
株式会社エヌ・シイ・シイ
ＮＣＣ綜合英語学院 学院長秘書室
〒160-0023 東京都新宿区西新宿7丁目15-4 YS第一ビル 受付4階
東京新宿本部
• Temporary employment contracts
• Poor communication from management
• No pay raises given to teachers regardless of length of service or qualifications.
• Limited office space for foreign work staff
• Lack of transparency
• No procedures to deal with extreme weather
If you have issues with any of the above, join fellow teachers by unionising and improving your working conditions at NCC.
Email: organizing@tokyogeneralunion.org for more information or for a membership package to be sent to you.
Tokyo General Union (Tozen) protests the firing of member Sulejman Brkic in front of the language school ICC. He worked there for 22 years and was fired for asking for his legally allotted paid holidays.
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Every year, thousands of young native English-speakers fly to Asia in search of an adventure, financed by working as English teachers. They come from Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., Britain, Canada and elsewhere.
But it can be risky leaping into another country on the promise of an “easy” job. In Japan’s competitive English teaching market, foreign language instructors are treading water. “Subcontractor” teachers at corporate giant Gaba fight in the courts to be recognized as employees. Berlitz instructors become embroiled in a four-year industrial dispute, complete with strikes and legal action. Known locally as eikaiwa, “conversation schools” across the country have slashed benefits and reduced wages, forcing teachers to work longer hours, split-shifts and multiple jobs just to make ends meet.
