Are ECC employees falling behind?

Here are a couple of quick facts to contemplate. 

• The sales tax was increased from 5% to 8% two years ago.
• It may soon be increased to 10%.
• Starting October 2016 a whole lot of employees will have the new expense of shakai hoken (health and pension insurance) premiums.
• The consumer price index has increased 3 points since 2010.

But aren’t ECC employees already paid a lot?

No! And that’s the truth of the matter. 

A couple of more facts for you.

• The average annual income for a full time worker in Japan is about ￥4.8 million.
• A university educated 35 to 39 year old employee earns ￥367,000 per month.

We’re not full time. Most work 29.5 hours per week.

It is ECC who set these working hours and now, for them to use this as a reason for lower wages doesn’t make any sense. But regardless of this, 29.5 hour contract workers ARE full time.

Think about it! Of course you only have to be at ECC for 29.5 hours, but you teach about 25 hours per week. There is not a lot more teaching time ECC can require without losing employees. In fact, in the language teaching industry, full-time at the major language companies IS 25 hours regardless of how long you are physically at the company. 

AEON and Berlitz actually pay MORE if you teach OVER 25 hours per week.

Let’s face it, 29.5 hours per week is the industry standard, is a lot of work, produces a lot of profits, and DEFINITELY IS FULL TIME.

I was told that ECC offers high wages compared to other language companies.

• AEON/AMITY teachers will soon be earn up to ￥290,000 per month.
• A new Berlitz full time contract will soon offer about ￥280,000.
• A NEW part timer at Berlitz earns ￥3,000 per hour.

But how does the union plan to convince ECC?

Well, we’ve gone through two rounds of collective bargaining and we’ve made no progress over this financial demand, but we’re still talking to ECC and hope that we can convince them that a pay increase is NECESSARY to remain competitive in the hiring and retention of teachers.

BUT…

If we can’t convince ECC at the bargaining table, we’ll convince them on the picket line.

General Union members in Kinki and Chubu have NOW TAKEN A POSITIVE STRIKE VOTE which will put about 100 members on strike to back up our demand.

Will non union members also get it if the union wins?

Probably. But the more members we have, the stronger we are, and the more we can win. That’s why we ask you to join the union, back up your coworkers, and stand firmly on the side of economic justice at ECC.

Thinking of joining?  www.bit.ly/join-in-kansai-chubu