The Language Teacher
01 - 2002
Getting Organised in Japan
Susan Carbery,
Obirin University
Japan's recession has resulted in unstable times for all workers in Japan, but for teachers the situation is even bleaker as birth rates continue to decline (Asahi Shimbun, 2000), creating an ever-decreasing student population. The result is that many of Japan's 1,000 plus universities and two-year colleges will be faced with either closure or serious downsizing in the near future. Jones (2001) identified how falling student numbers will continue to have a dramatic impact on employment in education, and expressed concern about how many institutions have begun to deal with the situation by not renewing contracts, or cutting pay and working conditions. The reality is that teachers' jobs are no longer secure, if indeed they ever were. Now more than ever, teachers need to be fully aware of their rights under Japanese labour law, and joining a union is the best way for any worker to keep informed, and to be given support and assistance should the need ever arise. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a basic understanding of the union system in Japan, and identify the possible benefits of joining a union.
Joining a union is not about deciding what side of the picket line to stand on. It is easy to fall into an us-versus-them mentality, not just about the employer/employee relationship, but also the foreigner/Japanese relationship that foreign teachers are faced with. The fact is that the dire future that awaits education in Japan affects everyone: employee and employer, foreigner and Japanese. Although one could rightfully argue that education in Japan is a business, this does not mean that institutions need not be concerned about quality of education and employment issues. Ironically, after more than a decade of Monbukagakusho (formerly Monbusho) white papers espousing communicative teaching (Ministry of Education, 1989, 1993), one of the biggest problems between teachers -- especially foreign teachers -- and the administrations which employ them is lack of communication. As a union member you have access to information about workers' rights, and the union will negotiate (communicate) with employers on your behalf. In addition, part of any union's mission is about maintaining proper standards within the profession. This gives the profession credibility, and it benefits not just the individual teacher but also students, the institution, and the profession as a whole.
Having said that, how does a foreign teacher living in Japan go about joining a union? Many schools have their own unions, but understandably the meetings and literature are in Japanese and tend to put off foreigners who are not proficient in Japanese. However, there are several small unions in Japan which cater to the English-speaking teaching community, and most enjoy some kind of working relationship with each other through the Zenkoku Ippan Rodo Kumiai (National Union of General Workers, or NUGW). One example is the University Teachers' Union (UTU), a small, Tokyo-based union founded in January 1999 to serve primarily the foreign university teacher population, but which is open to anyone teaching a minimum of one koma at a university in Japan. Don't let the fact that it is relatively small, new, and foreign in membership fool you into thinking that it will be ineffective in an employment crisis. Like most small and medium-sized unions in Japan, UTU is part of various support networks through NUGW Tokyo South, its larger parent union.
Unions in Japan tend to be part of an intricate network of labour federations; to a novice this can be rather confusing. Essentially, there are three main federations of unions in Japan -- Rengo, Zenroren, and Zenrokyo -- as well as many independent unions. Of the three, only Zenrokyo actively organises non-Japanese workers. The NUGW is affiliated with Zenrokyo, and is the most active in assisting foreign teachers. There are actually about 15 branches of language teachers' unions within NUGW Tokyo South alone, comprised mostly of foreigners. For the most part, these union branches are based at vocational schools, conversation schools, and private and public high schools. Like UTU, they are basically autonomous branches of the NUGW Tokyo South regional branch. Anyone who contacts NUGW can be invited to join the parent union as an "individual affiliate" and directed to the nearest branch appropriate to their needs, or can be helped to form their own union branch if they have the minimum of three members required to do so. Membership dues to NUGW and UTU are 36,000 yen per year, which works out to be a mere 3,000 yen per month. Two-thirds of this, or 24,000 yen, goes towards NUGW Tokyo South membership. This pays for the salaries of four staff members, lawyers' fees, printing, mailing, etc. UTU has quite an extensive relationship with other union networks around the country, so of the remaining 12,000 yen, much ends up as donations towards settling current disputes.
Membership in a union is not just about representation for employment problems concerning dismissals, salary, contracts, or discrimination. For UTU members who enjoy secure employment and good conditions, the union can provide information on a variety of employment issues, including tax, insurance, pensions, maternity or childcare leave, and injury. Being part of a union means access to information, which in turn may help you negotiate and thus avoid serious disputes with your employer. In addition, unionization is about solidarity, supporting your fellow workers, and working together to make your employment conditions and your profession better. No matter what your employment situation is, if you are a professional teacher working in Japan, you should seriously consider joining a union. Even if you are not a university teacher, by contacting NUGW or UTU, you will be directed to the most appropriate union closest to you. Don't wait until a problem arises. Don't think that other people's problems won't affect you. Get organised, and remember, you are not alone!
The University Teachers' Union can be reached online at <www.net-ibaraki.ne.jp/aboys/utu/>; by regular mail at UTU c/o NUGW, 3-21-7 Shimbashi Minato-ku, Tokyo 105; or by fax at 03-3434-1236. Thanks to UTU President John McLaughlin for providing current information regarding UTU.
References
Asahi Shimbun. (2000). Japan Almanac 2001. Tokyo.
Jones, R. (2001). Falling student numbers and the impact on employment. The Language Teacher, 25(11), 43-44.
Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. (1989). Japanese government policies in education, science and culture 1989: Elementary and secondary education in a changing society. Available: <wwwwp.mext.go.jp/eky1989/> (September 10, 2001).
-- . (1993). Japanese government policies in education, science, and culture 1993: Towards a culture-communicating society. Available: <wwwwp.mext.go.jp/eky1993/> (September 10, 2001).
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