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.
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。
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.
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.”
Cross posted from the General Union.
Let’s all work together for ALTs to be directly hired.
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Interac has been found guilty of unfair labour practices by the Osaka Prefectural Labour Commission in July 2010 for refusing to hold collective bargaining with the General Union (full story here).
Osaka prefectural ordinances prevent companies found in violation of Trade Union Law from bidding on public projects. The General Union, along with allied unions from Osaka Union Network and Osaka Zenrokyo have submitted demands to the Governor of Osaka Prefecture, Toru Hashimoto, that Prefectural ordinances be enforced.
As a result, Osaka Prefecture has now informed all divisions of the prefectural government, including the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education, that they may no longer enter into contracts with Interac. Furthermore, Osaka Prefecture has summoned Interac to explain the situation, placing further pressure on the company to obey the Trade Union Law and negotiate.
The union’s victory at the Labour Commission and its subsequent economic impact on Interac will go along way in making sure that not only Interac, but other employers trying to evade their legal obligations, negotiate with the union in the future.