Tozen

Tozen Union was created when foreign and Japanese members of National Union of General Workers Tokyo Nambu defected. The NUGW is an older union which traces its roots back to 1956, with the founding of {{Nihongo|Jōnan Chūshō Gōdō Rōdōkumiai|城南中小合同労働組合}}.

In 1994, the National Union of General Workers Tokyo South was formed, then renamed NUGW Tokyo Nambu in 2003. In 2004, the Foreign Workers Caucus was formed inside Nambu, which would eventually come to have 11 local branches.

On April 25, 2010, six of these branches voted to separate from Nambu and form Tozen. Many other Nambu branches followed later.

Tozen obtained official corporate registration in July 2010, according to its own website. {{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}

File:Tozen Union Founder Louis Carlet.jpg

While Tozen uses General Union in its name, it is not affiliated in any way to the General Union, Fukuoka General Union of the National Union of General Workers Tokyo Nambu. Tozen and General Union both have locals/branches at Gaba, Nova, Bunsai Gakuen, Shane, Berlitz and Interac. Tozen is also not a member of any National Union of General Workers national unions.

As of September 13, 2022, Tozen Union has 30 local chapters at different workplaces, including: The Japan Times, Linguaphone, Philippine National Bank, Syndicat des Employés de l’Institut Franco-japonais, Lyceé Franco-japonais, Sophia University, Gaba, Apple Japan, Japan College of Foreign Languages, Nichibei Eikaiwa, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Simul Academy, Coco Juku (Nichii Gakkan), Mitsui Fuso, NCC, English Express, Shane English School, Berlitz (Begunto Union).{{Cite web|title=BERLITZ GENERAL UNION TOKYO|url=https://www.berlitzuniontokyo.work/|access-date=2021-09-29|language=en-US}} A local union was formed in June 2020 called ALC Local Union. Tozen also represents ALTs{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121023hs.html|title=Think 'white South Africa,' not 'Black Ships'; in unions' defense|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027194116/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121023hs.html|archive-date=October 27, 2012}} at various companies as well as university workers and teachers.

Tozen and has taken action through the courts and industrial relations bureaucracy a number of times as well as engaging in strikes, leafleting, demonstrations, rallies and freedom of information campaigns. Tozen President (former Paralegal) Hifumi Okunuki began in February 2012 a column in the Japan Times called Labor Pains, in which she details famous labor law court cases.[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120717lp.html Court Backs Right to Strike] Japan Times[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120821lp.html/ Tepco Liable to Workers] Japan Times{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121016lp.html|title=Labor law protects expectant and new mothers — to a point|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018233942/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121016lp.html|archive-date=October 18, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120515lp.html|title=Supreme Court knocks down discipline of mentally ill employee|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120918lp.html|title=Work-rules verdict jars with laws aimed at leveling playing field for employees|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922073219/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120918lp.html|archive-date=September 22, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120619lp.html|title=In 'right-to-work' Japan, employees should also have the right to rest - The Japan Times|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120424lp.html|title=No legal cure-all for fixed-term job insecurity|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120228ll.html|title=Oversleeping radio anchor set tough precedent for firing staff|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120327ll.html|title=A promise of employment is binding, Supreme Court ruled in late 1970s case|work=The Japan Times|access-date=6 February 2015}} She also writes for Shingetsu News Agency.

{{cite web|url=http://shingetsunewsagency.com/2021/05/03/bread-roses-covid-not-olympics-requires-our-national-effort/

|title=Bread & Roses: Covid, Not Olympics, Requires Our National Effort

|date=3 May 2021

}}

Then Executive President Louis Carlet on March 11, 2011, spoke to Democracy Now! about the situation in Tokyo after the Great East Japan Earthquake.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Jh0hz5LAk#wrapper |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/47Jh0hz5LAk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Louis Carlet of Tokyo General Union Talks about Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan|website=YouTube|access-date=11 March 2011}}{{cbignore}}

Tozen was cited by the U.S. State Department's human rights report on Japan for the union's long campaign to enroll teachers in shakai hoken health and pension insurance.{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper|title=Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013|work=state.gov|access-date=6 February 2015}} Tozen also spoke with political activist Noam Chomsky in March 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://tozenunion.org/chomsky-tells-tozen-that-systems-of-power-dont-say-thank-you%E3%80%80%E3%80%9C%E3%80%80%E3%83%81%E3%83%A7%E3%83%A0%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E6%9D%B1%E3%82%BC%E3%83%B3/|title=Chomsky Tells Tozen that Systems of Power Don’t Say Thank Youノーム・チョムスキーから東ゼンへ：「権力者は、反対する者にはお礼を言わない」|date=March 11, 2014}} {{Promotional source|date=July 2020}}

Between February 27 and March 11, 2019, Tozen Union President Hifumi Okunuki, Chief Financial Officer Louis Carlet, and Field Director (and Rengo Trade Union Confederation Executive) Gerome Rothman participated in a guest lecture series organized by Iceland's second largest labour union, Efling.{{Cite web|url=https://efling.is/2019/02/14/19074/?lang=en|title=Lectures: Union organizers from Tozen|date=2019-02-14|website=Efling|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-13}}

Based on an invitation from Efling's Organizing Division (Félagssvið), on March 3, 2019, Tozen Union gave a presentation about its structure, history, range of activity, and the basics of Japanese labour law.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/events/563790910783440/|title=Skipulagning innflytjenda í Japan–Organizing immigrants in Japan|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-13}} The event was live-streamed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/efling.is/videos/251082545772740/|title=Efling|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-13}}

And on March 5, 2019, Tozen Union led a workshop on the subject of workplace organizing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/events/556772918162315/|title=Aðferðir í skipulagningu vinnustaða–Workplace Organizing Tactics|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-13}}

On March 8, 2019, Hifumi Okunuki, and Louis Carlet were interviewed by Icelandic television about Efling's one-day maids' strike covering the whole of Reykjavík, which took place on the same date.{{Cite web|url=http://www.visir.is/g/2019190308963|title=Flugu níu þúsund kílómetra til að sýna Eflingu samstöðu - Vísir|website=visir.is|access-date=2019-03-13}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.visir.is/g/2019190309005|title=Verkfallsvaktin: Hótelstarfsfólk leggur niður störf - Vísir|website=visir.is|access-date=2019-03-13}}

While most foreign workers in Japan are employed in the context of their native language, or English, both at the time of hiring and during their day-to-day workplace operations, employers typically attempt to dominate foreign union members by refusing to negotiate in the language of the workplace. In response Tozen Union invented and endeavours to establish the concept of The Language of Labour Relations, which contends that employers are not allowed to suddenly use a different language when their employees begin Collective Bargaining.

In a 2016 Tokyo Labour Commission ruling on Tozen Union's case against Tokyo Gakugei University, the commission established that employers are not allowed to unilaterally establish the conditions of Collective Bargaining, confirming that this includes the language in which negotiations will take place.{{Cite web|url=https://tozenunion.org/tozen-union-wins-precedent-setting-negotiating-language-case-against-tokyo-gakugei-university/|title=Tozen Union Wins Precedent-Setting Negotiating Language Case Against Tokyo Gakugei University|last=TozenAdmin|date=2016-08-24|website=東ゼン•Tozen|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-30}}

In an October 2019 Tokyo Labour Commission ruling, the commission established that teachers hired by Gaba Corporation as independent contractors have the right to strike. Tozen union and its Gaba Union Local sued Gaba Corporation to overturn warning letters issued to striking teachers. Gaba Corporation claimed that its over 1000 teachers were independent contractors, and thus were not protected by the rights of workers and Japan's Trade Union act. In a previous Osaka Labour Commission case victory filed by the General Union, the commission had recognized these employees' right to Collectively Bargain. Gaba Corporation management tried to nullify the impact of the ruling by claiming that even if the teachers had the right to Collective Bargaining, they didn't have the right to strike, which the Tokyo Labour Commission rejected based on Tozen's arguments. In Japan, the right to Solidarity, Collective Bargaining, and Collective Action (including strikes) are set in Article 28 of the Constitution, and cannot be divided.{{Cite web|url=https://tozenunion.org/gaba-teachers-can-strike-labor-board/|title=Gaba Teachers can Strike: Labor Board|last=TozenAdmin|date=2019-10-23|website=東ゼン•Tozen|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-30}}

{{Portal|Organized labour}}

• Labor unions in Japan
• Japanese employment law

{{reflist}}

• [https://tozenunion.org Tozen Union]
• [https://twitter.com/tozen_union Tozen on Twitter]
• [https://www.facebook.com/tokyogeneralunion/ Tozen on Facebook]

Category:Trade unions in Japan

Category:Trade unions established in 2010

Category:Organizations based in Tokyo