General Union’s AEON Branch calls on their employer to respond to significant concerns. One pressing issue raised by union members is the decline of non-teaching management staff within AEON, experiencing a decline of roughly 30% in the past year alone. Teachers are taking on more and more responsibilities that used to be the focus of management, stressing them for time and dividing their focus.

The impact of reduced staff directly affects the student experience. Prospective students struggle to obtain information about the school, while regular students face delays in receiving timely assistance. This shortage hampers the company’s ability to retain and increase student numbers, posing obstacles to overall growth. The integration of AI technology with education has enhanced the learning experience at AEON, but it is no substitute for direct human support – something the company pressed in keeping as many schools open as possible during the pandemic and striving to keep classes in-person, even as so many other companies went virtual or hybrid.

Recognizing the challenges faced by the eikaiwa industry in recovering from the pandemic, the union stands in solidarity with AEON. It emphasizes the importance of collective effort and resilience in overcoming obstacles and emerging stronger. For these reasons, our members advocate for schools to be adequately staffed, allowing teachers to focus on their core expertise: teaching. We urge AEON to address the decline in management staff and commit to re-hiring and maintaining optimal staffing levels.

General Union simultaneously encourages teachers to utilize entitled paid leave, practice self-care, and nurture their mental health, and we call upon AEON to recognize and appreciate teachers’ dedication through bonuses and significant raises that align with their increased workload and commitment.

We encourage AEON employees to join us in having an active role in the reconstruction of a company going through massive changes, as we collaborate to address concerns like those above. Together, we can shape a brighter future where teachers are supported, valued, and empowered. Let collective effort make a difference in shaping the future of AEON and language education.