Tokyo Board of Education

Tozen Daigaku: Civil Service Trade Union Rights (Fiscal Year Appointee System)

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In April of 2020, the Japanese government amended local civil service law, reclassifying direct hire ALTs at public schools as “fiscal year appointees.” This so-called reform stripped these ALTs, and all others who labour under the new classification, of their trade union rights. Fiscal year appointees in the new system can no longer demand collective bargaining, conclude agreements with management, or enter into labour disputes. As a result, our ALTs who work for the Tokyo Board of Education were stripped of their right to collective bargaining.

2020年4月、日本政府は地方公務員法を改正し、公立学校において直接雇用されているALT講師を「会計年度任用職員」に再分類しました。 この変更は、これらのALT講師と、新しい分類の下で働くすべての労働者から労働組合の権利を剥奪するものでした。この新しい制度の下では、会計年度任用職員は団体交渉を要求したり、経営陣と協定を締結したり、労働争議をすることができなくなります。その結果として、東京教育委員会に勤務するALT講師は団体交渉権を剥奪されました。

Tozen Union is fighting back.
東ゼン労組はこれに闘います。

私たちの闘いの応援と、寄付をお願いします！
Please support our fight and donate:
https://www.call4.jp/info.php?type=items&id=I0000116

Tozen Union Rallies to Restore Trade Union Rights of Direct Hire ALTs

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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.

Tokyo Board of Education snubs Tozen ALTs

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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.’”