Search Results for: UTC
Denied UTC—”You Were Never an Employee”
When Gary* decided to apply for an unlimited-term contract (UTC), he thought the process would be straightforward. For several years,…
Why am I worth 20% less than yesterday?
For many workers in Japan, turning 60 is no longer the end of their working lives. With retirement ages rising…
When Retirement Comes with a Hitch
When will a university teacher be asked to retire? At one university, the answer depends on the type of contract…
Member Voices: A Successful Conversion
I was very interested in an unlimited term contract (UTC) because I’ve been learning about it from General Union for…
Why Is Unlimited-Term Conversion Different at Universities?
For most fixed-term workers in Japan, the right to request an unlimited-term contract (UTC) begins after five years of continuous…
Member Voices: Unreasonable Deadlines – Denied!
My latest interaction with a university I have worked part-time at for approximately 20 years involves the survey they send…
Protecting Core Conditions
A common question from members who have converted to an unlimited-term contract is whether their employer can now change their…
When Questions Become Harassment – A Member’s Story
This case began after I questioned what appeared to be a change in the university’s policy regarding online classes. I…
The Heat is ON! – Power Harassment in the Workplace
The Japanese government revised its Power Harassment Prevention Law in 2022, for the first time legally defining harassment and mandating…
When Things Go Wrong – Part 2
Small Overpayments = Big Headache A group of teachers were union members working at a university. Over a series of…
Introducing General Union Theme Months 2026–2027
At the General Union, we believe that knowledge is one of the strongest tools workers have. This year, we are…
Lightning Strikes Twice for Kyoto ALTIA ALTs! Full Backpay and Salary Restoration Won
Summary: Kyoto ALTs working for ALTIA CENTRAL have won full backpay and the restoration of salaries cut from ¥240,000 to…
Challenging Bogus Freelancing in the Eikaiwa Industry
One of General Union’s most important areas of work in 2025 was confronting the widespread misclassification of English teachers as…
General Union Calls Out Altia Central’s Delay Tactics: “Our Members Want to Work – Come to the Table”
After Altia Central refused to meet us for collective bargaining early in our strike, dispatch ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) at…
Beyond Term Limits: the 5-Year Rule and You
SEMINAR – Sunday, 30 November at 19:00 to 21:00 via ZOOM RSVP your attendance → https://uni.genu.cc/UTC The General Union invites you to an important…