On the last day of January, about twenty union members, including representatives of Osaka Zenrokyo, held a small protest in front of the gates of Doshisha International Academy and Doshisha International School Kyoto.

Union members hand-delivered a letter of protest to the vice principal and administration head regarding the employer’s dereliction of responsibility to negotiate with the union in good faith. Issues include the employer’s failure to hold legal worker representative elections, yearly scheduling, and the school’s refusal to enter into a collective bargaining agreement, even after making verbal promises to the union.

The last issue is a clear violation of the Trade Union Law, and the second a violation of the Labour Standards Law. These continued oversights have led to many employees (throughout all of Doshisha) not being paid properly for overtime work. The union is now gathering lists of all employees who are interested in being paid properly for their overtime, and will demand payment for all.

This first small protest was just a warning of things to come. Members at these schools have already committed to a strike if the issues cannot be adequately resolved.

The union plans its next protest in front of Doshisha University on Valentine’s Day, and things will only escalate from there if members do not receive any satisfaction.