For many workers in Japan, turning 60 is no longer the end of their working lives. With retirement ages rising and many people choosing—or needing—to continue working, it has become increasingly common for employees to remain in the workplace well into their sixties.
Unfortunately, some employers still treat a worker’s 60th birthday as an excuse to reduce their wages. General Union believes that age alone should never justify an arbitrary pay cut.
This is a pattern that we’ve seen more than once. In recent years, General Union has represented university teachers whose salaries were significantly reduced simply because they reached the age of 60.
One such member had worked at a university for more than twenty years. Throughout that time, she consistently received positive evaluations for her teaching, research, and service to the university. Despite her experience and continued contributions, the university introduced a policy reducing the salaries of contract faculty aged 60 and over by approximately 20%.
Nothing about her work had changed.Her responsibilities remained the same.The quality of her teaching remained the same. Only her age had changed.
As a result, she found herself earning less than she had when she first began teaching at the university more than two decades earlier. The university argued that the member could either accept the reduced salary or leave her position.
General Union disagreed. Workers should not be forced to choose between accepting an arbitrary reduction in pay and giving up the careers they have spent decades building. After collective bargaining failed to resolve the dispute, the union supported the member in pursuing legal action.
The case ultimately concluded with a satisfactory outcome for our member, demonstrating that employers cannot simply assume that workers will accept significant reductions in pay because they have reached a certain age.
General Union has since represented another member facing a similar issue, reinforcing our concern that age-based wage reductions remain a problem at some universities.
Universities are especially facing financial pressures and changing demographics, but those challenges do not justify treating experienced educators as less valuable simply because they have turned 60. Experienced teachers bring years of knowledge, established relationships with students, and proven teaching ability. If they continue performing the same work to the same standard, employers should think very carefully before claiming that a substantial reduction in wages is justified.
General Union will continue to challenge unfair age-based wage reductions through collective bargaining and, when necessary, legal action. If you have experienced a significant reduction in pay after turning 60—or if your employer has announced plans to introduce one—you do not have to face the situation alone. Contact General Union. Together, we can ensure that experience is respected, not penalized.
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