Article written by 東海林智, and originally featured here.
「10％以上の賃上げを」非正規労働者ら、春闘に向け団体設立
非正規労働者らを多く組織する個人加盟が中心の労働組合や地域労組が4日、2024年春闘へ向けた共闘組織「非正規春闘実行委員会」を設立した。物価高による生活苦が社会に広がる中、一律10％以上の賃上げを方針に掲げた。実行委は「一人でも賃上げを求め声を上げることはできる。一緒に賃金を上げよう」と呼びかけた。
Gerome Rothman
Tozen Union Rallies to Restore Trade Union Rights of Direct Hire ALTs
On Sunday, January 29, Tozen Union, our legal team, and our supporters held a rally to launch our campaign to restore Trade Union Rights to Direct Hire ALTs.
In April 2020, local civil service law was amended and direct hire ALTs around the country were classified as “fiscal-year appointees.” Prior to this change, direct hire ALTs had the right to join a union and demand collective bargaining. This so-called “reform” stripped them of those basic labour rights.
Tozen Union demanded that Tokyo Board of Education meet for collective bargaining in July of 2020. The board refused, and the union sued in Tokyo Labour commission. The case was dismissed late last year in light of the legal amendment. Tozen plans to sue in court to overturn this unconstitutional decision. Our goal is to restore trade union rights not only for fiscal-year appointees, but all civil servants.
We need your help.
Please contact case officer Gerome Rothman at tozen.rothman@gmail.com to find out what you can do.
Important Message to All ALC Teachers on a GM Contract.
TO ALL ALC STAFF ON A GM CONTRACT
On August 3rd, ALC management announced that it is proposing new contracts to its employees on GM contracts. They have proposed two options.
Be aware that this is only a proposal and that management cannot force you to change your contract. You have the right to refuse this proposal and keep your current contract.
Before you take any action yourself, please contact Gerome Rothman, case officer of the Tozen ALC Local Union at the following email address. All contacts and consultations are confidential.
tozen.rothman@gmail.com
アルクエデュケーションのGM講師の皆様へ
２０２２年８ 月 3 日、 アルクエデュケーションのGM講師 に対し、２種類の新規契約（案）を提示しました。これは、あくまでも提案です。 経営側は、GM講師の合意を強制することはできません。GM講師は、同提案を受け入れない権利があり、受け入れない場合、現在の契約を続けます。
ご自身で何か行動を起こす前に、東ゼン労組ALC支部の担当者ジェローム・ロスマンまで以下のメールアドレスでご連絡ください。
東ゼン一日行動ビデオ Tozen All Day Protest Videos
東ゼン一日行動(上)
神田にあるシェーン英会話本社前で抗議行動を始めした。
The first part of Tozen’s All Day Protest.
Starting with the Shane Worker’s Union protesting at Shane English School Head Office in Kanda, Tokyo.
東ゼン一日行動(中)
神田にある神田外語大学院前で抗議行動を始めした。
The second part of Tozen’s All Day Protest.
Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) Union protesting at Kanda University of International Studies in Kanda, Tokyo.
東ゼン一日行動(下)
銀座にあるインタラック本社前で抗議行動を始めした。
The third part of Tozen’s All Day Protest,
Interac Union protesting at Interac HQ in Ginza
東ゼン大学：財務諸表の読み方 Tozen Daigaku: Reading corporate earnings reports
敵を知る
会社は、組合に対して、組合の要求に応じられない理由として経営が大変などを主張します。しかし、組合側は、提示されている財務のデータが本当に分かっているのでしょうか。ここで、財務諸表の読み方についての東ゼン大学のレクチャーの登板です。講師らは財務諸表を楽しみながら読む方法について話し合います。 講師は東ゼン労組の財政部長ルイス・カーレットと専従オルグのジェローム・ロスマンです。
***注意：講師らは、資格を有する会計士ではありません。***
Know your enemy
This is an important topic as companies often try to make claims about their earnings as to why they can’t agree to union demands. Find out what the numbers really mean here. Tune in as our presenters try to make finances fun (or as fun as they can be).
Presented by Louis Carlet, and Gerome Rothman.
***Disclaimer: Neither Louis Carlet or Gerome Rothman are accountants.***
Labor Board Orders Oberlin U to Talk to Union
Wednesday, May 26, the Tokyo Labor Relations Commission ordered Oberlin University to hold collective bargaining with Tozen Union. Oberlin University had refused negotiations since October 2019, demanding the union exclude rank and file members. The university had also insisted on bargaining in Japanese even though the day to day language of labor relations at the workplace is English.
The union demanded collective bargaining after Oberlin University announced it would outsource classes to a private contractor, threatening the job and income security of our members. Oberlin claimed the outsourcing was not a legitimate topic for union negotiations, a claim firmly rejected by the commission.
Tokyo Board of Education snubs Tozen ALTs
We don’t need to respond to you.
The Tokyo Board of Education told Tozen Union they will not meet its ALT union for collective bargaining (CB). They also refused to respond in writing to the union’s request to negotiate.
Tozen Union previously enjoyed productive relationship with the school board, including talks last year. Today, the union dropped by on routine business, filing a request for bargaining and informing management of two new union members.
Two board representatives said they wouldn’t take the document because a change in the law had stripped direct-hire ALTs of their trade union rights. They refused even to put their refusal in writing and tried to force the union to take the documents back.
“We knew about changes in the law but also understood that boards of education across the country still negotiate and sign agreements with labor unions,” said ALT organizer Gerome Rothman. “We were surprised a school board would hide behind an unconstitutional law and treat their employees like strangers.”
The union refused to take the documents back and demanded an official written response by 5pm, next Thursday August 6.
“Our union has demands to protect the safety of ALTs working at schools during this pandemic. Board officials interrupted me when I explained the demands, saying ‘we don’t have to talk to you.’”
Tozen Union ALTs win WFH in Sagamihara
[2020.4.12] Assistant language teachers (ALTs) in Sagamihara City will work from home beginning Monday 13th April rather than Tuesday 14th, dispatcher Interac KK told Tozen Union.
The ALT dispatch giant had planned to send Tozen members to school this week, even though the city had already suspended classes. The union demanded its members work from home instead, to help fight the virus and slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During 11th hour virtual negotiations, Interac management agreed to have the teachers work from home beginning Tuesday, after commuting to the workplace one time only on Monday.
The union welcomed the concession but insisted the ALTs work from home on Monday too. “We are concerned not just for the health and safety of our members, but also anyone they could come into contact during the commute,” said Tozen Senior Organizer Gerome Rothman. Interac agreed to talk to Sagamihara about the demand and later told the school board the ALTs will stay at home.
“We appreciate Interac management’s attention to the health and safety of its employees,” Rothman said. Tozen Union demands all employers help fight the virus by paying employees full salary to work from home.
Sagamihara City is a 40-minute train ride from Shinjuku in central Tokyo.
To join our union and the fight-the-virus campaign, contact Case Officer Gerome Rothman at tozen.rothman@gmail.com.
東ゼン労組vs桜美林大学 Tozen Union Vs. Oberlin University
２０２０年１月１７日（金）、東ゼン労組は桜美林大学団交拒否の事件における東京都労働委員会の第一期日を行った。今回の期日では大きな進歩が見られた。学校側は、団交の通訳者を手配すること、また職場における主たる言語（英語）で交渉することに合意した。組合と学校側は、数週間後に再度団交における基本的なルールを決定するために話し合いを行う。現在に至るまでどの問題にも解決の兆しが見られなかった組合としては、今回の期日は解決へ向けての第一歩であった。
On Friday 17th January 2020, Tozen Union had its first hearing at Tokyo Labour Comission for the case of Oberlin University’s refusal to negotiate at Collective Bargaining. We have made a great deal of progress. Management has agreed to bring an interpreter to Collective bargaining so our members can communicate in the language of labor relations, which is English. The union and the university will meet over the next couple of weeks and attempt to set ground rules for collective bargaining sessions. While we have not addressed every issue, this hearing was a step in the right direction.
東京学芸大学事件命令書交付について
当委員会は、本日、標記の不当労働行為救済申立事件について、命令書を交付しましたのでお知らせします。命令書の概要は、以下のとおりです（詳細は別紙）。
1 当事者
申立人
全国一般東京ゼネラルユニオン、全国一般東京ゼネラルユニオンTGUISS支部
被申立人
国立大学法人東京学芸大学
2 事件の概要