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Gaba Teachers can Strike: Labor Board

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Language school Gaba must recognize the right of instructors to strike, the Tokyo Labor Commission ruled today. 

Tozen Union and its local chapter Gaba Workers Union sued the language giant in 2016 to overturn warning letters issued to strikings teachers. 

Gaba has its more than one thousand teachers on private service provider contracts called gyomu itaku. The company argued that since each teacher is just a service provider, they don’t have the rights of workers under Japan’s Trade Union Act. 

The board noted that the teachers effectively qualify as workers for the purpose of that law and that the company must apologize to both unions for interfering in their strike. 

Osaka Labor Commission had previously recognized the right to collective bargaining of a union organizing teachers at Gaba (General Union). 

Management tried to overturn that ruling and argued that even IF teachers have the right to bargaining, they should not also  have the right to strike. 

In Japan, the rights to solidarity, collective bargaining, and collective action (including strikes) are enshrined as a set in Article 28 of the Constitution. 

“This is a victory for all Gaba instructors, including non-union members,” said Gaba Workers Union President Tyler Christensen.       

“It confirms what we’ve always said – Gaba instructors have the same rights as regular employees,” he added. “Now that our right to strike is secure, we look forward to getting back to the bargaining table and continuing to improve working conditions for Gaba instructors.”

The board rejected Gaba’s claim to be able to split the three rights (rodo sanken) as a theory they “just made up.”

英会話講師雇い止め、無効判決＝訂正・おわびあり

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英会話教室「シェーン英会話スクール」で有期雇用契約の講師だったイギリス人男性（４７）が雇い止めにあったのは不当だとして、運営会社を相手取って雇い止めの無効などを求めていた訴訟の判決が９日、東京高裁であった。村上正敏裁判長は雇い止めは無効として、原告の訴えを棄却した一審・東京地裁判決を取り消した。

　原告側の代理人弁護士が９日、厚生労働省で記者会見して明らかにした。判決によると、講師だった男性は２０１５年３月、１年間の有期雇用契約を運営会社と結び、１６年にさらに１年間更新したが、１７年に雇い止めとなった。

　訴訟では雇い止めの理由として、男性が約２年間で取得した有給休暇のうちの１４日間が欠勤となるかが争われた。

　一審の地裁判決は、１４日間は法律で従業員が自由に取得できる休暇分を超えており、男性が会社の許可を得ずに欠勤したとして雇い止めを認めた。

　高裁判決はこれを否定。会社側は従業員が自由に取得できる有給休暇と会社が指定する休暇とを区別していなかったなどとして１４日間は欠勤と認められないとした。

　＜訂正して、おわびします＞

　▼１０日付社会面の「英会話講師雇い止め無効判決」の記事で、「坂本真紀裁判官」とあるのは「村上正敏裁判長」の誤りでした。判決資料の確認が不十分でした。

JCFL Finally Sends Union a Stamped Apology Letter

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On August 9th 2019, Tokyo High Court ruled that Japan College of Foreign Languages interfered with union leafleting in June and October of 2013, violating trade union law and the constitutional rights of Tozen Union members.  Shortly thereafter, JCFL sent an apology letter to the union in accordance with the verdict.

However, in violation of Japanese norms and common sense, JCFL did not affix their stamp.  When the union asked for a version with the stamp, JCFL ignored the letter.

Tozen Union had to take the step of filing a complaint with the Central Labor Commission charging that JCFL was in violation of the order.  Under pressure from the Central Labor Commission, JCFL has finally issued a proper apology letter to the union, over two months after the verdict was finalized.

This is just more evidence of how Tozen Union has had to fight tooth and nail to get JCFL to recognize the trade union rights of our members.  

The Tozen JCFL local, established in 2013, faced a hostile reception from the outset. At two union actions JCFL obstructed union leafleting. The union sued JCFL in the Tokyo Labor Relations Commission. On Jan 25, 2016, the commission ruled that the school had interfered with legitimate union activity and ordered the school to apologize.

JCFL appealed to the Central Labor Relations Commission, which upheld the ruling.

The school sued the government to overturn the ruling. On March 1, 2019 Tokyo District Court again ruled against JCFL. The school took the case to Tokyo High Court which rejected JCFL’s appeal.

“Rather than take responsibility from the very beginning and simply apologize, JCFL has adopted a strategy of stonewalling and endless litigation, wasting time and prolonging the inevitable,” said Tozen Senior Organizer Gerome Rothman. “JCFL has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the union, except under court order.”

Union President Todd Williams said, “To call this a hard won victory for the union would be an understatement. It is a testament to the grit and tenacity of our members. JCFL cannot escape the consequences of its belligerence towards the union.”

Read the apology here.

英会話スクール講師が逆転勝訴　会社の有給指定に反対、雇い止めは無効

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Reinstated Shane Worker Cleeve

英会話スクールの男性講師が、不当な雇い止めにあったとして会社に地位確認を求めた訴訟の控訴審判決が10月9日、東京地裁であった。村上正敏裁判長は男性敗訴の1審東京地裁判決を変更し、雇い止めを無効として2017年4月からの未払い賃金（月額25万7800円）の支払いを命じた。

判決後、原告のアダム・クリーブさん（47）が東京・霞が関の厚労省記者クラブで会見を開き、「職場に戻ることを楽しみにしています。長い戦いでしたが、判決で正当ということが再確認できました」と話した。

●年間20日間全ての有給「自由に指定できる」

判決文などによると、アダムさんは2015年3月、「シェーンコーポレーション」（東京都千代田区）の運営する「シェーン英会話スクール」に常勤講師として1年間の有期雇用契約で採用された。雇用契約は1回更新された。2016年11月に育児休暇に先立ち有給休暇を取得したところ、会社側は認めず無許可での欠勤として評価。2017年2月28日に雇い止めされた。

同社の有給休暇は、年間20日間付与されていたが、うち15日間については会社側が取得する時季を指定して一斉に取得する計画年休としていた。5日を超える日数を計画的に付与するためには、労使協定を結ぶ必要がある（労働基準法39条6項）。

しかし、同社は計画年休に関しての労使協定を結んでおらず、アダムさんは「全国一般東京ゼネラルユニオン（東ゼン）」のシェーン労働組合の執行委員長として、東京都労働委員会に申し立てをした。しかし、その審議途中に勤務態度不良を理由に雇い止めを受けた。

高裁判決は、時季指定する15日間の計画年休について、会社が法定年次有給とそれを超える分の有給を区別することなく指定しており、「全体として無効」として、年間20日間全ての有給が自由に指定できると判断。

有給取得は正当な理由のない欠勤であったとは認められず、無断欠勤もストライキの実施によるもので「雇い止めをするかどうかの判断をする際に考慮に入れるのは相当でない」として、「雇い止めは、客観的に合理的な理由を欠き、社会通念上相当であるとは認められない」と判断した。

●「同僚との団結が非常に重要」

代理人の指宿昭一弁護士は「全く当たり前だが、正しい判断をしている」と評価。同じく代理人の加藤桂子弁護士は「労働委員会での審議中に、会社の言い分が正しいことを前提に雇い止めをした。制度に乗っ取って話し合いをしていたのに、あまりに労働者を軽視する態度だった」と話した。

仕事を失いアダムさんは専業主夫となったため、保育園にも入れず、裁判にも長女を連れて臨んだ。アダムさんは「同僚との団結が非常に重要。組合に入ることで、会社側に説明責任を求めることができます」と話した。

●会社側「コメントできない」

シェーンコーポレーションは「担当者が外出しており、コメントできない」と話した。

弁護士ドットコムニュース編集部

High Court Overturns Shane Dismissal of Tozen Union Activist

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The Tokyo High Court today (Oct. 9) overturned the lower court’s verdict in a dismissal case against Shane. The eikaiwa language school in 2017 fired Adam Cleeve, president of Tozen’s Shane Workers Union.

Tokyo District Court upheld the ruling and ignored union claims of strike-busting. Shane fired Adam in effect for actively participating in the union’s strike, a point not lost on the court.

Judge Murakami threw out nearly every one of Shane’s assertions, and invalidated their illegal designated paid leave system.

The court ordered Shane to pay all back wages from March 2017 until the verdict and to take Adam back to work. Shane is likely to appeal the Supreme Court, but that court is unlikely even to hear the case.

“I am excited to get back to work and resume our struggle for better working conditions,” Adam told reporters at a press conference after the verdict came down.

Tozen Union senior organizer Louis Carlet said, “A shout-out to all our members at Shane for their solidarity, tenacity and resilience thus far.”

“This is the first step in bringing about real change at Shane. Now is the time to recruit and build a force that can finally boost conditions for all teachers and counselors,” he added.

Labor Board Rules Against Shane on Two Counts, Rejects Union’s Other Claims

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Wednesday, October 2nd, the Tokyo Labor Commission ruled that language school Shane Corp. committed unfair labor practices in issuing a warning letter to the president of Tozen Union’s Shane Workers Union and in reducing the class load of another member. 

The commission also ordered the school to issue an official apology to the union.

An “unfair labor practice” is a violation of the Trade Union Act.

In the same verdict, the commission rejected the union’s other union-busting claims.

Ostensibly, the warning letter was for taking a paid holiday with less than two months notice, but the commission ruled that the real reason was union activity.

Both parties have two weeks to appeal.

東ゼン労組JCFL支部、労働委員会事件にて最後の勝利を勝ち取る

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2013年の6月と8月に行われた組合によるビラ配りを妨害したとして、東京高等裁判所は2019年8月9日、日本外国語専門学校に対し、労働組合法及び、東ゼン労組の組合員たちの憲法上の権利を侵害したと判決を下した。

東ゼン労組JCFL支部は、2013年に結成され、結成当初から敵意に満ちた応対と向き合ってきた。経営側は、2つの組合のビラ配りを妨害した。組合はJCFLに対し東京都労働委員会へ申し立てた。

2016年１月25日、東京都労働委員会は学園側に対し、正当な組合活動を妨害したとして、謝罪するよう命じた。学園側は、中央労働委員会へ再審査を申し立て、中労委は、同命令を維持した。学園側は、中労委に対して、命令を取り消すように、東京地方裁判所で、訴訟した。2019年3月1日、東京地方裁判所は中労委からの命令を維持した。学校側は、高等裁判所に控訴したが、裁判所はそれを棄却。

同年8月13日、6年後にようやく不法な妨害をしたとして　JCFLは組合に対し謝罪をした。東ゼン労組の専従オルグであるジェローム・ロスマン氏は、「初めから責任を負い、単に謝罪するよりも、JCFLは妨害をし、延々と訴訟するという方法を選んだ。時間の無駄であり、免れないことを長引かせた。」と述べた。JCFLは裁判所命令がなければ、組合の正当性を認めることを拒否していた。JCFL支部執行委員長であるトッド・ウィリアムズ氏は、「これを苦労して勝ち取った組合の勝利と呼ぶには控えめすぎるかもしれません。

これは組合員たちの闘志と粘り強さの証です。JCFLは、組合に対する敵意を持った態度が生み出したこの結果から免れることはできません。」

Tozen JCFL Local Scores Final Victory in Labor Commission

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On August 9th 2019, Tokyo High Court ruled that Japan College of Foreign Languages interfered with union leafleting in June and October of 2013, violating trade union law and the constitutional rights of Tozen Union members.

The Tozen JCFL local, established in 2013, faced a hostile reception from the outset. At two union actions JCFL obstructed union leafleting. The union sued JCFL in the Tokyo Labor Relations Commission. On Jan 25, 2016, the commission ruled that the school had interfered with legitimate union activity and ordered the school to apologize.

JCFL appealed to the Central Labor Relations Commission, which upheld the ruling.

The school sued the government to overturn the ruling. On March 1, 2019 Tokyo District Court again ruled against JCFL. The school took the case to Tokyo High Court which rejected JCFL’s appeal.

On Aug 13, six years removed from the illegal obstruction, JCFL finally apologized to the union.

“Rather than take responsibility from the very beginning and simply apologize, JCFL has adopted a strategy of stonewalling and endless litigation, wasting time and prolonging the inevitable,” said Tozen Senior Organizer Gerome Rothman. “JCFL has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the union, except under court order.”

Union President Todd Williams said, “To call this a hard won victory for the union would be an understatement. It is a testament to the grit and tenacity of our members. JCFL cannot escape the consequences of its belligerence towards the union.”

Tozen Union Opposes Police Repression of Kansai Namakon Union

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Police from four prefectures are cracking down on unionized drivers of concrete mixer trucks.  

They have arrested 85 members of Kansai Namakon Union, indicting 50 of them. Ten remain in jail, including the executive president and vice president who have been locked up for nearly a year despite not even being present where the alleged crimes took place. 

Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, and Wakayama police have charged them with obstruction of business using force and attempted extortion. The union was aggressively pursuing union demands. That’s all. 

The government is test-driving its new conspiracy law to crush an activist union.  Tozen Union will never support violence or intimidation of any kind. But we cannot ignore this violation of all our union rights, guaranteed by the Constitution. 

We declare our support for Kansai Namakon Union’s struggle.  We call on the police to free all detainees immediately and to end this vicious, unconstitutional crackdown. 


Tozen Union

Tozen Shane Workers’ Union signs Labour Management Agreement with Shane Corp.

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Welcoming in the Reiwa era and the new President of Shane, Ishitani Yuya, Shane Workers’ Union are pleased to sign a Labour Management Agreement in what is hoped to be a new phase of improved relations between the Union and the Company.

The agreement guarantees the working conditions of union members and agrees to use Company paperwork when converting to permanent employment.

The agreement also defines a set of rules for collective bargaining which lays the groundwork for improved negotiations and a more timely and forthcoming approach from management.

While some issues remain unresolved, notably the official labour dispute and charges of unfair labour practices against union members, this agreement is a very positive step forward and the Union believes it is only a matter of time before a suitable settlement is negotiated and normal labour-management relations restored.