２０２０年１月２９日（水）、東京高裁で行われた日本外国語専門学校（JCFL)で働く東ゼン労組の組合員による有給休暇の紛争をめぐった控訴裁判で判決がおりた。学校側は、時給制で働く講師たちに対し有給休暇の付与を拒否しており、一学期毎の契約であるため次の学期の契約を結ぶ際に、雇用は継続せずに中断する。従って、有給休暇取得の権利はないとの主張していた。
しかし、今回の裁判で高裁は、２０１８年１１月の東京地方裁判所の命令を維持した。
高裁は、この雇用は継続しているとし、法律に則った最低限の年次有給休暇を割り当てるよう命令を下した。そのため学校側は、講師が既に取得した有給休暇分と、未払い分の遅延利息を支払わなければならない。
しかしこれまで経営側は、団体交渉の場で組合側および支部に対し強硬な姿勢をとり続けているため、最高裁への上告も予想される。
東京地方裁判所でも主張してきた、学校側が就業規則のコピーの提供を拒否することをパワハラだという主張に関しては、組合側が敗訴した。
Tozen Union members working at Japan College of Foreign Languages won paid leave Wednesday in Tokyo High Court. The school, operated by Bunsai Gakuen, had denied paid leave to teachers working on zero-hour contracts, claiming that intervals between one-semester contracts disrupt the continuity of their employment and therefore preclude any right to paid leave.
Tokyo High Court ruled that members Todd, Tim, and Mark’s employment is continuous, making them eligible for the legal minimum allotment of annual paid leave. JCFL must pay for paid leave already taken plus interest. The court upheld a November 2018 Tokyo District Court ruling.
Management has taken a hard line against Tozen Union and JCFL Workers’ Union in collective bargaining and is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. The union members lost a claim that the school’s refusal to give a copy of its work rules constitutes power harassment.
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.”