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However, one important issue was still left unresolved: the fact that the regular pay raises described in the pay regulation had been frozen unilaterally since April of 2016 without any explanation, and far from agreements previously made.

Teachers were surprised by this situation (via their pay slips) and asked the people in charge bosses but, of course, no one knew anything about it.

Determining this to be a terribly brutal circumstance for teachers to have found themselves in, both unions sent a warning letter to the school saying: “This is illegal non-payment of salary without any hearing from employees, nor any steps for submission, designated in pay and working regulations.”

They started the action for pursuing Ashiya Gakuen’s liability in the matter.

Initially, the board of directors under Oyagi took the offensive, stating that it was “a decision of the Board of Directors” – but the situation drastically changed after the high-profile dismissals mentioned above.

The confusion still continued, however.

The new Board of Directors resisted, apologising for causing the confusion while saying: “It is already the second April. We don’t have enough funds for the regular pay raises over two years.”

At this point, the anger of union members exploded: “Ask Oyagi to return all the money he spent by mixing official business with private affairs!”

Finally, it was agreed (between Ashiya Gakuen and the unions in the collective bargaining on April 19th, 2017) that the regular pay raises for two years should be paid in full on the next payday, resulting in a concrete average of about 100,000 yen.

In addition, the new Board of Directors apologised about the fact that the bonus for full-time teachers with a definite term contract had not paid following the contract and promised to pay all the difference – amounting to about 5 million yen in the past to ten teachers, Japanese and non-Japanese alike.

(Translated from Japanese)

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