General Union ECC Branch

The General Union is an organization that negotiates with employers, mainly English conversation schools and other educational institutions, to improve its members' working conditions.

Who can join the ECC Branch?
Union membership is open to all ECC workers: Teaching Staff, full time workers (Jokin Koshi), part time workers (Hijokin Koshi), and staff. People working at: the Foreign Language Deparment, CRD, and ECC Junior. Most members are foreign workers, but anyone is welcome to join.**************What has the union done for ECC Workers?
While the union can only represent its members, our victories are everyone's victories. This is what the union has won for all ECC workers:

  • Flexible, paid holidays (ALPs)

  • Improvements to ECC's leave policy for sickness

  • Employee's Health and Pension, Unemployment Insurance

  • Special paid leave (marriage and bereavement)

  • A reduction of 4 EQ Days (an increase of 4 Rest Days) for Teaching Staff

  • Contract completion bonus for Teaching Staff past their 3rd year (negotiated yearly)

  • Abolition of the "no pay raise rule" for Unlimited Term Contract workers

  • The guarantee of a pay raise over the next 3 years (2024-2026)

  • And much more

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Why should I join the union?
Being part of a union gives you:

  • Job security through our "pre-consultation agreement" with ECC

  • A grievance process that allows us to bring problems at work directly to the top management

  • A community of hundreds of teachers in various workplaces all across Japan

  • Access to workshops, seminars, and other events so you can learn your rights and how to exercise them

  • A voice in a democratic organization, allowing you to create the changes you want to see

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What's New?Right now, the ECC Branch is working on:

  • Collective Bargaining with ECC for the 2025 Demands:

  • A 60y/hour (9000y/month for Teaching Staff non-evaluated raise

  • Up to 3 days unpaid excused sick leave with one medical receipt

  • A community of hundreds of teachers in various workplaces all across Japan

  • The option to work full-time until 70 years of age

  • Removal of the "no-raise" section of the Teaching Staff Work Code

  • A year-end bonus for all Teaching Staff

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Members Updates:
ECC Branch Annual General Meeting:
Wednesday, April 23rd at 10:00 amWe will be having our Annual General Meeting on a Wednesday morning this year, as so many people work late on Sundays. There will be a summary of union activities this year, election of ECC Branch Officers, and discussion of the Collective Bargaining results and actions we can take.
RSVP HERE for the ECC Branch AGM
Zoom Collective Bargaining:
Wednesday, April 30th at 10:30 amOur third Collective Bargaining Session this year. Come and support our negotiators on Zoom, even if you can't stay the whole time. The more people who come, the more seriously ECC will take our demands.

RSVP HERE for Collective Bargaining
Business Cards: We have new General Union business cards, which have a link to this ECC Branch websiteIf you'd like some business cards to distribute to coworkers or friends (while not on ECC property), email me at [email protected]
Have a work-related question or problem?
Email us at [email protected] ********************

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Problems at Work? Need Advice?
Here's how the union can help you:**************

  • 1. Answering your questions about labor laws in Japan (contracts, health insurance and pension, retirement, and more.

  • 2. Sending a union representative (either in person or by Zoom) to join you during any difficult interviews with management.

  • 3. Filing a grievance with the company on your behalf if you have trouble at work (a grievance is concern, problem or complaint about your work):

  • -Step 0: Contact the company about your problem. Keep a record of your interactions. If the issue is not resolved during this step, and requires union assistance, any emails or other communications you can forward to us will help us to know what actions need to be taken.

  • -Step 1: Consultation: we gather the relevant information from you by email, in person, or in a Zoom interview

  • -Step 2: The branch shares the information with the General Union, who decides on how to best proceed (filing a grievance, providing you with information, or another course of action).

  • -Step 3: In the case of a grievance, the GU sends an email or makes a phone call to management outlining the issue and requesting a solution to the problem.

  • -Step 4: The union shares management's reply with you, and works together with you and management to find a solution that benefits you.

You can also get advice and information from fellow union members on our private Facebook group or Discord - email us if you are a member and want to join*****************Have a Question?
email [email protected]**************

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Email the ECC Branch
at [email protected]

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