Teachers have come to the point where they will no longer accept this blatant discrimination The school employs an equal number of foreign and Japanese nationals. For Japanese teachers there are two systems of hiring: one-year contracts and tenured positions. Though identical in workload, the salary difference is staggering. The puzzling thing is that all the male Japanese teachers are tenured but not one women or foreign teacher can boast such a secure and stable contract, even after having been at the school for as many as eight years.

Why is this? For many years the YMCA has promised to implement a system so that foreign employees would have access to the tenured track. They have even signed a labour agreement to this effect. Still they fail to do anything. What are they waiting for? In an attempt to limit damage to the students, strikes were recently suspended and the union applied for mediation at the Labour Commission. The YMCA has refused to negotiate any further and turned down any mediation, which is practically inviting further industrial action. This is the first time that any company has refused mediation in the history of the union. By doing so, they show an unacceptable disregard for the welfare of the students.

Why has the YMCA refused to accept the Labour Commission’s offer of mediation? Is it because they are afraid that their blatant discrimination will come out in the public arena? Teachers have come to the point where they will no longer accept this blatant discrimination and will continue in their push for equality.