Rain or shine, Nambu members turn out when called, and more than 20 people participated throughout the day in the Mini-Koudou demos last Friday, May 25.

Action began with a multi-union demo in Kasumigaseki. Hundreds of unionists surrounded the Ministry buildings in support of dismissed JR workers who have been fighting for decades. Listening to the speakers, some of whom were on a hunger strike, suddenly the rain didn’t seem worth compaining about.

A highlight of the day was a visit to the offices of Universal Language Institute (ULI) where we declared a new branch. Management were more than a little surprised to
find their office suddenly filled with a dozen union members, and demanded that we leave. Nambu President Hiraga refused, and insisted that ULI recognize the union and commit to negotiations with the new branch. After some debate, ULI management realized that it made more sense to recognize the union than to have a dozen activists occupying its offices and chatting about working conditions with other ULI staff, who in fact seemed to enjoy the diversion.

Later in the day, we returned again to the infamous NIC, where management has been trying to crush the union for two years now. Managers stood by scowling as students took our leaflets to read during their break.  As for the non-union teachers who walked by the picket line, one of our members said it best by quoting Edmund Burke: “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.” 

Union-busting problems at a Berlitz franchise in Sapporo were brought home to Berlitz HQ in Aoyama, as leafletters informed passers-by about unfair labour practices going on under the Berlitz name.  Demonstrations were also held in front of ELS, the Berlitz-affiliated company in Shinjuku that runs the Sapporo franchise. This demo was well-timed, just as ELS students and teachers were leaving the building, and all were curious to hear about what was happening up north. 

By coordinating action, and working together to resolve disputes at other workplaces as well as our own, wemultiply our strength and solidarity. Watch for more Mini-Koudou in the future!

The fight against union busting at the Berlitz-ELS Sapporo Language Centre continues, with two demonstrations held recently in Sapporo and Tokyo.

In Sapporo, union members leafletted in front of the Berlitz-ELS LC on March 12. The union continues to receive strong support, with a new member joining the original Four, and students as well as members of the local Sapporo Rentai union helping to hand out flyers. The public is obviously reading the flyers, as we have received phone calls to the office in Tokyo from students concerned about the situation.

In Tokyo, union members gathered in front of the ELS school in Shinjuku, and distributed about 300 leaflets. Even without a loudspeaker, the colourful placards and energetic chanting of the protestors convinced the passers-by that something was definitely amiss with the company on the 7th floor. More than half the participants were from Berlitz and Simul, who, along with ELS, are Benesse group companies.                                

Background:

Union members at the Berlitz-ELS Sapporo LC are fighting unfair dismissals and union-busting at ELS Japan. ELS denies that the dismissals targeted union members, but cannot explain why out of 17 teachers, only the four union members were fired, less than two months after their first collective bargaining to boot. Unsubstantiated claims of “poor performance” don’t stand up against years of experience, good evaluations, and petitions from students to bring these teachers back to work. 

The real reason may lie in changes to contracts introduced unilaterally this April, as teachers said good-bye to benefits such as paid national holidays and prep time for kids’s lessons.

This unfair labour practice is going on literally under the names of Berlitz and Benesse, which adorn the entrance to the school in Sapporo. ELS took over the Sapporo LC in 2006, but retained the Berlitz operation in a “double-branding” agreement with Berlitz Japan.

The Nagoya District Court on Wednesday invalidated a company’s sacking of a third-generation Japanese-Brazilian who called his boss an idiot, saying the company had abused its right of dismissal.Ruling in favor of the 35-year-old worker, the court said sacking the worker for calling his boss an idiot was unacceptable.

“The firing is not acceptable under current social standards, and it was an abuse of the right of dismissal,” Judge Toshiro Tamiya said as the ruling was handed down.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070509p2a00m0na022000c.html

University Teachers Union Forum 2007Universities Now - Jobs and Education Under Attack!

1.00 - 5.00 Sunday 24th June 2007
Tokyo Shigoto Center, Iidabashi 3-10-3, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

1.00 - 1.10 Registration

1.10 - 3.00 Forum and Discussion
Fighting Back - Strategies to Defend Our Jobs

Speakers:
Louis Carlet (Deputy General Secretary NUGW Tokyo Nambu)
John McNeill (Treasurer, General Union, Osaka)
Kazuko Shimizu (Part-time Lecturers Union, Tokyo)
Chair: Catherine Campbell (Begunto)

3.15 - 4.45 Workshop
Improving Cooperation, Consultation and Communication on Campus
Organizers: Tom Anderson and Mike Nix (UTU)

Admission ¥1000
Limited seating - only pre-registration guarantees admission
To register and for more information, email utuforum@yahoo.com
Or register on-line at www.utu-japan.org

About UTU Forum 2007

The jobs of university teachers are increasingly at risk. Universities are restructuring to compete for the declining population of high school graduates. Non-renewable contracts, age limits on appointments, the outsourcing of teaching work, and cuts in salaries and bonuses all threaten our job security and livelihoods. How we can fight back? What are our rights? UTU Forum 2007 is an opportunity to share experiences, learn from others and explore ways to protect our jobs, defend educational standards and improve working conditions on campus.

How to get to Tokyo Shigoto Center

7 minutes from Iidabashi stn and Suidobashi stn (West exit) on JR Sobu Line
7 minutes from Iidabashi subway stn on Tozai, Namboku and Yurakucho lines
7 minutes from Iidabashi on the Toei Oedo line
7 minutes from Suidobashi subway stn on Toei Mita line

http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?nl=35.41.49.133&el=139.45.10.929&la=1&fi=1&skey=%252&sc=3

STOP OUTSOURCING! JOB SECURITY FOR ALL!

Tokyo Nambu’s University Teachers Union has launched its Stop Outsourcing campaign.

“Outsourcing is destroying job security. Agency workers are needed to fill temporary vacancies, but outsourcing is being used by employers to cut jobs, cut wages and cut benefits. We all have a right to secure employment. Stop outsourcing our jobs now!”

Outsourcing - your job could be the next to go.

Download the UTU Stop Outsourcing Petition.PDF for a printable copy of the petition and join the fight for job security.