--------------American School in Japan -----------------ASIJ Teachers' Union---Protecting Our Rights

Union letter to School -- April 2002
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4th DANKO -- Feb 27, 2003
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3rd DANKO - November 2002
2nd DANKO--September 2002
1st DANKO-- May 2002
Examples of Past Practice -- March 2003
Our Concerns --May 2002
History of the Situation -- Updated April 2005
Letter of Agreement--April 27, 2005
Letter to Board President, April 2, 2005
Retirement Policies at ASIJ
We Get Letters -- Updated February 2003
Letters written by Union Members -- September 2002
Age Discrimination -- May 2002
FSCC Final Statement on This Issue -- May 2002
Union letter to School -- April 2002
Letters to Faculty/Staff -- April 2002
Letter sent to the Board -- March 2002
Some ASIJ Teacher Statistics (Some 2002 hires not included) -- May 2002
ASIJ Policies with adoption and revision dates -- May 2002
Information About the Union -- May 2002
Laws of Japan -- March 2003

This is the English translation of the letter sent to the school by the union.

 

Mr. Peter R. Cooper

The American School In Japan

April 23, 2002

 

Representation of DANKO (Group Negotiation/Collective Bargaining)

 

We hereby notify you that we have joined the Tokyo Shikyoren Senshu Kakushu Gakko Branch (Federation of Private School Teachers and Staffs Unions) and formed the American School in Japan Teachers Union on April 22, 2002.

In accordance with the Japanese Constitution Article 28 (Guarantee for the Right of Union, group negotiation acts), we request from you a group negotiation concerning the retirement policy.

ASIJs normal retirement has been at the end of the year in which a teacher turns 60.  When the teacher wishes to work beyond the age of 60, the policy has been to request a waiver by October 1 of the year in which the teacher turns 59.  This waiver has been usually accepted with an annual contract.

But suddenly, in April 2001, the School Board announced a new personnel policy regarding retirement, which added the following conditions to the old policy: The only exceptions to this policy will be determined by the schools need for special skills or expertise. The administrative council will make the final decision on any exceptions.

By October 1, 2001 (actually this was extended a few days), seven teachers requested the employment beyond age 60, and in the middle of November you told these orally that there would be a termination without exceptions.  Later, this unilaterally changed personnel policy of retirement was discussed among the FSCC and a meeting was held between faculties, administration and Board.  Lots of voices were raised on this issue.  Main concerns were unilaterally changed personnel policies, age discrimination, and evaluation system.

1.        The Retirement Policy for staff is written in the school policies regulations (article 31) as age of 65.  What about school policies for teachers?  What kind of procedure was taken to change the retirement policies which were announced in April 2001 special skills and the no exceptions beyond age 60 which was adopted in November 2001?

In order to change these policies in this manner, did you have a discussion with the faculty and did you register these changes at the Mitaka Labor Standards Office?

2.        On February 7, 2002, you, on behalf of the Board, sent a letter which stated that employment beyond age 60 will be issued at the same level at which most new teachers, staff member, or administrator enters the salary scale (step 5) with one-year, non-regular contracts (without promotion).  (This proposal was approved at the Board of Directors meeting on March 19).  You stated that teachers who were over 60 who apply may now remain at ASIJ with this condition.  Is this an offer of salary reduction of approximately 28%?  There has not been much salary increase for teachers in the past 8 years and wages at the top were actually slightly reduced. Have you realized the impact that these actions have on many of our retirement plans?

3.        You have a reason of salary reduction as financial responsibility, but ASIJ has had record enrollment in the past few years and has pursued a lot of construction and expansion and repair.  Also a lot of money is being raised for the upcoming centennial celebration.  We, as a union, ask that you open the school finances to us and show us the reason for the salary reduction.

·        Private schools in Tokyo (K-12), under the Open to the Public Acts of Tokyo-to, open their financial sheets to the public, and many schools voluntarily open their financial status to the public.

·        In 1995, the Ministry of General Affairs notified the Ministry of Education (presently the Ministry of Science and Education):  In order to ensure the transparency of school finances, the ministry should teach/assist schools to willingly open their financial documents to the persons concerned, including parents of their students.

We request that you (and the Board) consider this salary reduction and have a meeting with us.  Henceforth, the union will represent our members in any issues and concerns.  Our union hopes that this issue would be solved honestly through such a meeting.

Awaiting for the reply of a collective meeting scheduled by April 30, 2002.

 

Tokyo Federation of Private School Teachers and Staffs Unions

Chairperson of Executive Committee

Eiji Aoki

 

Tokyo Federation of Private School Teachers and Staffs Unions

Senshu Kakushu Gakko Branch

Branch manager

Toshio Nakamura

 

Tokyo Federation of Private School Teachers and Staffs Unions

Senshu Kakushu Gakko Branch

Representive for American School in Japan Teachers Union

Ronald L. Dirkse

 

 

--------------American School in Japan -----------------ASIJ Teachers' Union---Protecting Our Rights