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…
Universities Are Downsizing. Workers Shouldn’t Be Paying the Price
Japan’s universities are entering a difficult period. As the birthrate falls, so does the number of university-aged students. In the…
Protecting Core Conditions
A common question from members who have converted to an unlimited-term contract is whether their employer can now change their…
From Annual Uncertainty to Greater Stability
For many workers in Japan, every contract renewal brings the same question: Will I be offered another contract when this…
Stop Wage Theft: Why We’re Doing This Together
You stayed late again. You worked through your break again. You answered emails at home, marked papers after hours, showed…
General Union Member Sues Interac! You May Be Able to Recover Yours, Too
On June 25, the first hearing was held at the Tokyo District Court in a lawsuit against Interac over its…
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…
When Things Go Wrong – Part 1
Over the past few weeks, we have posted several articles about the importance of reading your payslip to make sure…
Extra Payments – Part 3
Records for Reimbursements Ethan* worked at an English conversation school. From time to time, he would buy materials for the…
Extra Payments – Part 2
Is the fare fair? Lisa* regularly took the train to work and was given a transportation allowance in advance to…
Extra Payments – Part 1
Everyone likes it when there is extra money showing up on their payslip. But what happens when it doesn’t appear…
Deductions – Part 3
They can do that?! Ryan* resigned from his job in March. He requested to see the payslip in advance of…
Deductions – Part 2
Why wasn’t I deducted? Ashley* has worked in Japan for 5 years and changed jobs last May. She started receiving…
Deductions – Part 1
In Japan, your employer is legally required to deduct certain items from your salary such as income tax, company insurance…