2009 02 (summer)

Inside the “Voice”  GEOS – no insurance – no visa  Notícia en portuguesa dentro  Your pension money  How much does it cost?

S u m m e r News

from

the

General

Union

(Kansai

&

Tokai),

NUGW

Osaka Immigration Bureau: Monday, 1 June.

Four officers of the General Union met with Osaka Immigration officials regarding the recent changes to the visa renewal guidelines. A new condition, Article 8, will require all foreign residents to present a valid health insurance card when applying for visa renewal.

Immigration officers tried to assure the union that health insurance is a good thing. They were surprised when we agreed with them.

Apparently they had also fallen for the employers’ lies that foreign workers in Japan do not want health and pension insurance coverage – that foreign workers prefer the freedom of suffering without medical insurance and dying without a pension.

Our point with immigration was NOT that foreign workers should not be enrolled in health and pension insurance, but rather that workers should not be punished in cases where their employers fail to enrol them in Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai.

Immigration thought that the union was there asking for leniency in following the health and pension insurance laws; but in reality the union was asking for a crack down on employers that are putting our members’ visas, health, and future at risk.

What was learned very quickly by our conversation was that immigration has not had any clear direction from the Ministry of Justice on how to treat this issue now that it is part of the visa renewal guidelines. We are concerned that it will be up to the individual immigration officers to decide, thus leaving the system open to abuse and unequal treatment.

Another grave concern is that even though we believe that immigration will accept an application without proof of health insurance, our fear is that immigration will require foreign workers to return to the office with a ‘valid’ health insurance card in order to get visa renewal approval.

One thing has become terribly clear: the debate on whether Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai is good or not is finished. The only thing left to discuss now is whether workers will pay 100% of health and pension costs or 50% by demanding proper enrolment in Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai.

NUGW Tokyo Nambu Tel: 03-3434-0669 Fax: 03-3433-0334 info@nambufwc.org www.nambufwc.org

Tokyo

South,

Fukuoka

2 0 0 9 General

Union

Osaka forum (General Union) 12 July 1:30 – 3:30 PLP KAIKAN (Ogimachi Stn. Ex. 4)

Nagoya forum (General Union) 19 July 1:30 – 3:30 Nagoya City Women’s Centre (Higashi Betsuin Stn. Ex. 1) see www.generalunion.org for maps

General Union – Kansai & Tokai

Tel: 06-6352-9619 Fax: 06-6352-9630 see Tokai Tel/Fax: 052-561-8555 union@generalunion.org www.generalunion.org

Fukuoka GeneralforUnion www.generalunion.org a map Tel/Fax: 092-473-1222 fukuoka@generalunion.org www.fukuoka.generalunion.org

National Union of General Workers e r s w w w . g e n e r a l u n i o n . o r g

National Union Voice

At the 2004 Annual General Meeting, General Union members voted unanimously to adopt a policy to demand Shakai Hoken (health & pension) in the workplace. The decision was made considering the increasing number of people coming to us without insurance, and a belief that the Japanese government would enforce the regulations.

Since then, the union has been successful in winning Shakai Hoken at many of the major language schools. In 2006, 29.5 hour contract ECC teachers won the right to enrollment. 2006 also saw all Aeon teachers enrolled, and NOVA and Berlitz teachers having more chances of enrolment.

Beyond the language schools, the union has also fought for the right of part-time high school & university teachers to receive Shakai Hoken.

Kun’ei high school is one example.

As well as full-timers, part-timers working 8 hours or more won the right of enrollment.

Shakai Hoken is also a major problem for those working as Assistant Language Teachers. Most dispatch companies evade the law by falsely recording working hours as 29.5 per week. By winning direct employment, Kurashiki Interac teachers won the right to SH. In 2009, the union will be pressing the issue with a number of school boards.

What’s Next?

Along with talks with Osaka Immigration and the regional Shakai Hoken Office, the General Union will hold negotiations with the government on 13 July. We plan to hold more public seminars, make more demands on employers, and let the public know that the failure to enrol hurts more than just language teachers.

Page 2

Over the past few years, NUGW Tokyo Nambu has filed several Shakai Hoken claims on behalf of members at NIC, ULI-GLI, Little Garden, IES and others.

Even though some were lost on the initial application, they were all won on appeal.

The others we won straightaway and preserved the victory in appeal. At each stage, we submit oral and written arguments to the local Shakai Hoken office of the Social Insurance Agency (SIA).

Some SIA agents are reluctant to order management to enrol our members even in clear-cut cases. It is therefore crucial that we continue to apply pressure, including visits to the local or prefectural offices, as well as to present clear arguments based on the law and the 1980 and 2005 directives.

Recently, Berlitz Japan management has pushed out many teachers from Shakai Hoken based on phoney enrolment criteria. This has caused a sense of crisis among many teachers. The union is currently deliberating on what action to take.

At Simul International, our members are fighting to enrol full-time teachers by documenting all their unrecognized work hours in order to surpass the phoney enrolment criteria.

Summer 2009

On July 1, 1999, after two years of preparation, the first foreigners' union for the Fukuoka / Northern Kyushu was officially established.

Called the Fukuoka General Union, our purpose is to maintain and improve the working conditions of our members in Fukuoka. Any non-management worker of any nationality is welcome and encouraged to join the union. With the foreign national population at an all time high of 14,442, up nearly 80% in the last 10 years, we feel there is a strong need for the Fukuoka General Union.

Membership to the Fukuoka General Union is open to those who live or work in Fukuoka Prefecture regardless of nationality. If you live and work outside Fukuoka Prefecture, special consideration can be taken into account for membership.

Union dues are inexpensive; ¥24,000 per year. Three months (¥6000) are required as up front payment. (This can be waved under special circumstances.)

If you wish to join the Fukuoka General Union, please contact us directly.

Da saúde e das pensões no Japão

Qualquer pessoa independentemente da nacionalidade, acima dos 20 anos*, residente no Japão é obrigado a ser registada em um plano de saúde e fundo de pensão aprovada pelo governo japonês. Basicamente, existem dois sistemas: * Alguns titulares de vistos de curto prazo pode ser isento.

Seguro de Saúde e Pensão dos Empregados (Shakai Hoken), para pessoas que estão empregadas em uma empresa registada ou uma

Seguro de Saúde e Pensão dos Empregados (Nesta Shakai Hoken) é constituído por duas partes.

O Seguro de Saúde (Kenko Hoken) e do Fundo de Pensões dos Empregados (kousei Nenkin). Eles são um conjunto. O custo do Shakai Hoken é dividido entre empregado e empregador, com ambas as partes pagam 50 por cento.

O plano de seguro de saúde abrange os seguintes: Médicos, Medicamentos e dentários custos. 70% das despesas médicas são cobertas. Existe também uma rede de segurança para que os custos médicos não excedam cerca de ¥80,100 por mês.

Lesão ou doença, resultando em salários perdidos. A concessão abrange cerca de dois terços dos salários perdidos devido a doença ou lesão de até um ano e meio. Existe um limite de um ano e meio a esta reivindicação para qualquer doença.

Isto não está abrangido no âmbito do Seguro Nacional de Saúde (Kokumin Kenko Hoken).

Nascimento de um filho. ¥ 350,000 será pago após o nascimento de cada criança.

Licença de maternidade. Quando você tomar esta licença, você é elegível para 60% do seu salário durante 42 dias antes do nascimento e 56 dias após o nascimento. Isso

empresa com mais de 5 pessoas, se o local não é uma empresa registada Seguro Nacional de Saúde (Kokumin Kenko Hoken) e Pensão Nacional (Kokumin Nenkin) é para os desempregados, os aposentados e independentes. Se você não está registrado com o Seguro de Saúde e Pensão dos Empregados (Shakai Hoken) é necessário ser registrado com o sistema nacional.

também não está disponível no Seguro Nacional de Saúde (Kokumin Kenko Hoken).

Morte. Um pagamento único de ¥50,000 devem ser pagas à pessoa em cargo do funeral. Além disso, ¥50,000 deve ser paga no caso de um dependente.

O regime de pensões abrange as seguintes: Pensão. Depois de ter pago o sistema de pensões de 25 anos, o segurado após ter atingido a idade de 65 anos serão elegíveis para uma pensão até a sua morte. O período de 25 anos de pagamentos não é sempre de 25 anos. Kara kikan (que reconta sua vida fora do Japão) afeta seu direito a receber uma pensão de 25 anos no Japão sem o pagamento, se você for concedida autorização de residência antes de chegarem aos 65 anos.

Morte. A pensão é paga aos dependentes sobrevivos. Exemplo, um cônjuge sobrevivo com uma criança irá receber ¥1.035.600 por ano.

Pessoas com Deficiência. Se estiver impossibilitado de trabalhar devido a uma deficiência irá receber uma pensão ou um Subsídio de invalidez.

Uma deficiência clase um: ¥ 1,005,300 por ano. Deficiência clase dois: ¥ 804,200 por ano.

Shakai Hoken é directamente deduzido do seu salário. Um trabalhador com menos de 40 anos com um salário bruto de ¥250.000 e subsídio de transporte de ¥15,000 iria pagar ¥30,615 (Seguro de saúde ¥10,660 e Pensão ¥19,955) por mes para Shakai Hoken. Este montante é automaticamente deduzido do seu salário e o empregador coincide com a sua contribuiçao.

Uma pessoa que não tem cidadania japonesa, e inscritos no sistema público de pensões japoneses por 6 meses ou mais podem ser elegíveis para um reembolso das suas contribuições de pensão.

O reembolso varia no período de tempo que a pessoa está registada.

A retirada em um único pagamento ao Shakai Hoken é calculado utilizando a média de remuneração mensal para o período registrado e multiplicando-se pela taxa de lucro.

Veja a tabela abaixo.

Contribuição período 6-11 meses 12-17 meses 18-23 meses 24-29 meses 30-35 meses 36 meses

Taxa lucro 0.4 0.9 1.3 1.8 2.2 2.6

de

Por exemplo Marie-Anne contribuiu para Shakai Hoken para 36 meses, até Maio 2008. A média do salário bruto para fins Shakai Hoken foi ¥ 260,000.

Marie-Anne é elegível para um reembolso ¥ 676,000*. * A retenção do imposto de 20% pode ser deduzida a restituição, é igualmente reembolsável

Esta informação é apenas um guia. Encontre mais informações antes de contactar o seu empregador

Page

3

Health and Pension Insurance

All registered residents of Japan must be enrolled in one of the appropriate social health care and pension insurance systems: Employees’ Health and Pension Insurance (Shakai Hoken), Private Schools Mutual Aid (Shigaku Kyosai), or National Health and Pension Insurance (Kokumin Kenko/Nenkin Hoken), as well as some other public schemes.

Using any other private insurance plan as your sole provider fails to meet your legal obligations, and as of 1 April 2010 will not satisfy the visa renewal insurance requirement.

Those employed at workplaces with five or more employees should be paying into Shakai Hoken or Shigaku Kyosai.

What management doesn’t want you to know.

Kokumin Kenko/Nenkin Hoken was not designed to cover employed persons, but rather those with no income or fixed income (i.e. unemployed, self-employed). See the centre chart to see what’s not covered by Kokumin Kenko/Nenkin Hoken.

If you work, you should be employed in Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai and your employer must pay 50% of your premiums. End of story!

One thing we want all our members to understand is that the Health Insurance Law (Article 3) and the Employee Pension Insurance Law (Article 12) both dictate enrolment in Shakai Hoken of most employees at "applicable workplaces" regardless of work hours. There are only 8 exceptions stipulated in the above mentioned laws: 1) sailors, 2) those employed less than two months, 3) those employed at workplaces without fixed addresses,

Page 4

4) seasonal workers, 5) employees of enterprises that will be in existence less than six months, 6) those employed by the National Health Insurance Union. 7) those over 75 years old, 8) those authorized by the director of the Social Insurance Agency (SIA) or by a health insurance union or mutual aid society.

The claim that part-timers qualify if they work 3/4 or more of the hours of a full-timer is a misrepresentation of the 1980 and 2005 SIA directives.

These internal directives addressed to local SIA offices are operational guidelines for enforcement of the laws, NOT enrolment criteria.

Imagine a stretch of highway with an 80kph speed limit and a police officer who sets the radar to 90kph.

This means the officer will pull over anyone who exceeds 90kph but not those who drive between 80kph and 90 khp. It does not mean that it is legal to drive 85kph. Similarly the SIA directives provide guidelines for local agents to order employers to enrol their employees. They do not say it is legal to not enrol employees below the 3/4 threshold. Finally, the directives have no legal force and are not referred to in the law.

Employers use the internal SIA enforcement guidelines as if they were enrolment criteria.

Management must pay half the premium so naturally their purpose is to save labour costs regardless of the impact on its teachers.

Unfortunately, the SIA has turned a blind eye and in some cases openly collaborated with management in their illegal non-enrolment of employees.

Let's be clear and unafraid to say the truth – Many companies are evading the law (Article 3 of Health Insurance Law) by not enrolling all their workers.

Health and Pension Insurance

Why do we believe that you are better off enrolled in Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai as opposed to Kokumin Kenko Hoken/Nenkin? Look at the chart below to see what things Kokumin Kenko Hoken/Nenkin will not cover you for.

Medical, drug, and dental costs: 70% of medical costs are covered for you and your dependants.

80% of medical costs for dependant 80% of medical costs for dependant children under three years old. children under six years old.

Injury or sickness resulting in a loss of wages Covers lost wages due to injury or illness for up to one and a half years.

This is not available under Kokumin Kenko Hoken.

About two-thirds of lost wages covered 80% of lost wages covered.

Childbirth: Lump sum payment to help with the costs of childbirth. ¥350,000 for the birth of each child (may ¥400,000 for the birth of each child. be up to ¥380,000 in some cases).

May be paid directly to medical institution.

Maternity Benefits: You are eligible for coverage of your wages for 42 days prior to birth and 56 days after the birth.

This is not available under Kokumin Kenko Hoken.

Approximately 60% of your wages are 80% of your wages are covered. covered.

Death: A lump sum of ¥50,000 will be paid to the person taking care of the funeral arrangements.

Pension payments: Basically both plans will pay a pension after 25 years of enrollment, which is the often cited number. Twenty five years though is not simply 25 years (see the article on Kara Kikan).

Pension amounts vary depending on your period of enrollment, when you were enrolled and when you were born.

Death A survivor’s pension is paid to surviving dependents.

Disability If you are unable to work due to disability, you will receive an allowance.

Both systems are more complicated than what will fit into a small chart. This information covers some of the major points (subject to change). Visit the online resources for more information or call the union to learn how to win Shakai Hoken in your workplace.

Shigaku Kyosai: http://www.shigakukyosai.jp/en/about/index.html Shakai Hoken: http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html

The information provided in this news is only a guide. Please seek more advice prior to talking to your employer

*300,000/mo. (monthly Shakai Hoken Shigaku Kyosai standard salary) Under 40 Health Health Health Insurance ¥12,300 (worker) ¥10,800 (worker) 40 and older Health Health Health Insurance ¥14,085 (worker) ¥12,050 (worker) To 70 years old Pension Pension Pension Insurance ¥23,025 (worker) ¥16,914 Rates for Kokumin Kenko Hoken vary by city and are calculated based on your past year’s income and number of dependants. Rates for Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai are based solely on your salary..

Kokumin Nenkin premiums are not based on salary. Kokumin Nenkin premiums are currently ¥14,660 per month (April 2009). *For those earning between ¥290,000-¥309,999 including all allowances.

Many are told that Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai is a waste because you won’t see your money back.

The system is still not perfect, but there are ways to make sure that you see some benefit from your pension payments. Also, the unions are in a much stronger bargaining position in the future if our members are contributors to the health and pension system. Our position: fight for enrolment together with improvements.

I. KARAKIKAN Pensions are payable after you have paid premiums for 25 years, but this doesn’t mean that you have to pay in for 25 years.

The period from when you were twenty years of age to when you arrived in Japan are added to the number of years of contributions.

To use this system, you do have to have permanent residency or citizenship prior to reaching

retirement age.

II. PENSION TREATIES Japan has pension treaties with many countries. These treaties may allow you to use some of the time that you paid into the pension in Japan to benefit your pension earnings in your home country, and vice versa.

See www.sia.go.jp/e/ag.html for more information.

III. PENSION REFUNDS – DATAI ICHIJIKIN You can receive a lump sum return on your pension payments. Those leaving after having been enrolled in Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai for 36 months can have almost 100% of their contributions refunded.

Compare this to the approximately 50% that you can get back if you’re enrolled in Kokumin Nenkin and you’ll see why Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai are the way to go.

Call the union to find out how you can maximize your pension refund

Period

Shakai Hoken/ Shigaku Kyosai Rate

Kokumin Nenkin flat rate refund

6-11 months 12-17 months 18-23 months 24-29 months 30-35 months 36 months

0.4 X avg. monthly. standard salary 0.9 X avg. monthly. standard salary 1.3 X avg. monthly. standard salary 1.8 X avg. monthly. standard salary 2.2 X avg. monthly. standard salary 2.6 X avg. monthly. standard salary

42,300 84,600 126,900 169,200 211,500 253,800

The information provided in this news is only a guide. Please seek more advice prior to talking to your employer

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Da saúde e das pensões no Japão

Sistemas de Seguro Nacional de Saúde (Kokumin Kenko Hoken) e da Pensão Nacional (Kokumin Nenkin) destinam-se a cobrir os desempregados, independente, aposentados e pessoas que não são elegíveis para o Seguro de Saúde e Pensão dos Empregados (Shakai Hoken).

Seguro Nacional de Saúde (Kokumin Kenko Hoken) é administrado pelo seu governo local.

Para se inscrever é necessário visitar o escritório Kokumin Kenko Hoken no seu bairro, cidade, vila ou aldeia.

Os prémios podem variar de região para região, e são calculados utilizando as taxas de imposto do passado exercício. Para as pessoas novas para o Japão, Kokumin Kenko Hoken prémios são relativamente baratos para o primeiro ano de

matrícula. A partir do segundo ano da matrícula prémios aumentaram drasticamente. Muitos governos locais têm um prémio tampa de ¥ 530,000 por ano.

A Pensão Nacional (Kokumin Nenkin) é administrado pela Agência de Segurança Social. Você pode aplicar para se inscrever na Agência de Segurança Social perto a sua residência ou no escritório Kokumin Nenkin do seu governo local. Kokumin Nenkin prémios não são baseados nos salários. Kokumin Nenkin prémios estão actualmente ¥ 14,660 por mês (Abril 2009).

Kokumi Nenkin também tem um sistema de retirar, em um único pagamento (dattai ichijikin) para pessoas não-japonês nacionalizada.

Se você tiver inscrito para 6 meses ou mais, também podem ser elegíveis para um reembolso.

Dattai Ichijikin Contribuição período

Pensão Nacional

6 meses ou mais, menos de 12 meses

42,300

12 meses ou mais, menos de 18 meses

84,600

18 meses ou mais, menos de 24 meses

126,900

24 meses ou mais, menos de 30 meses

169,200

30 meses ou mais, menos de 36 meses

211,500

36 meses ou mais

253,800

Japão tem actualmente acordos de segurança social com a Bélgica, Canadá, França, Alemanha, Coréia, Reino Unido e os Estados Unidos.

Alguns acordos permitem a pessoa segurada para combinar os fundos de pensão a satisfazer os requisitos.

Os acordos com o Reino Unido e Coreia do Sul não permitem a adição de fundos de pensões para atender os requisitos.

Foram assinados acordos com a Austrália, República Checa e nos Países Baixos, no entanto, esses

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acordos não têm sido implementadas desde Junho de 2008. As negociações estão em curso em Espanha e Itália.

A Agência Segurança Social fornece informações detalhadas em Inglês sobre os acordos internacionais em matéria de segurança social.

Por favor, veja www.sia.go.jp /e/ag.html para obter detalhes sobre como acordos da Segurança Social afectam você e suas obrigações de pensões no Japão.

Dear Voice, My and husband I have just found out we are expecting our first child. I was excited to announce the news to everyone at work only to find that I was asked to resign! It is difficult to believe the company’s attitude after 5 years of loyal service. I know there is maternity leave in Japan but how do I get it and how long is it?

Thank you, Dear Mum-to-be, Congratulations on the happy news!

Sorry to hear how your company reacted. Traditionally, it was expected that women would resign, or be forced to, upon becoming pregnant but we see fewer and fewer cases of this.

The law allows for both maternity and childcare leave. Maternity leave is available from six weeks prior to the due date with a postnatal leave of 8 weeks from the birth. Maternity leave is usually unpaid but if you are member of your employer’s Health Insurance Society (Kenko Hoken), you will be entitled to 60% of your standard daily remuneration per day, from 42days before childbirth to 56 days after child birth date for the unpaid period as "Maternity Allowance" upon the submission of certificate of your child's birth.

So what happens after maternity leave? Are you required to return to work? Yes and No. Childcare Leave is then available up to the infant's first birthday for either of the parents but is restricted in that those on fixed contracts are excluded, but those who have been employed continuously for more than a year with several contract renewals may have the right to avail themselves of childcare leave. As your company has already indicated they will decline your leave application, I would suggest you come in for a consultation immediately so that we can begin the negotiation process with your employer.

Esta informação é apenas um guia. Encontre mais informações antes de contactar o seu empregador

National Union Voice

Japón tiene una seguridad social para trabajadores que se llama Seguro Social. Seguro Social se consisite con dos funcionamientos, seguro de salud y pensión. Muchos empreadores no quieren aplicar el seguro para los trabajadores extranjeros, por que ellos deben pagar mitad de costo del Seguro.

Las leyes de Seguro de Salud y de Pensión obligan a empreadores que apliquen Seguro Social para sus empreados. Sin embargo, una empresa de envío de trabajadores que se llama Power Cast, la que emprea a trabajadores suramericanos númerosos, tampoco no aplica el seguro a sus trabajadores, además les ha explicado que “Ustedes necesitan ingresar a Seguro Nacional de Salud o Viva Vida (es un seguro particular)”. La firma les ha mentido y engañado para evitar su obligación y pagamiento de mitad del costo.

Unos trabajadores brazileros reclamaban a Power Cast la aplicación del Seguro. La empresa no aceptaba o ignoraba sus reclamos. Por lo tanto, ellos ingresaron a nuestor sindicato para que les aplicaran el Seguro. Después de que nuestro sindicato le envió una demanda para la aplicación, Power Cast comenzó a aplicar el Seguro a los miembros.

Según las leyes, se pueden aplicar el Seguro retractivamente durante dos años. Power Cast no aceptó la aplicación retractiva para seguir evitando la mitad del costo. Por fin, 26 miembros nuestros entregaron solicitudes relacionadas el Seguro a Oficina de Seguro Social para que la oficina les confirmara la retractiva.

La oficina confirmó la retractiva a los miembros. Pués, la empresa debío pagar todos costos inculidos mita de costo de los empreados y otra mita del empreador. La firma les ha enviado facturas cobradas la

mita de los miembros. A causa de su ilegalidad, la empresa tuvo que pagar todos los costos. Nuestro sindicato piensa que Power Cast necesitará pagar todos costos para compensar su ilegaidad, aún que tiene derecho del cobro.

Nuestro sindicato sigue negociando con el empreador malo, y varios miembros nuestros continuan entregando las solicitudes a Oficina de Seguro Social.

Nosotros seguimos luchando contra la empresa engañosa para que se realizcan mejor condición para los trabajadores extranjeros. Nuestro consepto es muy sencillo, es que “¡Seguro Social es para todos!”

English Summary At a major dispatcher employing Brazilians, workers were lied to about the company’s duty to enrol workers in health and pension insurance (Shakai Hoken). Instead of being informed that their full time jobs entitled them to Shakai Hoken as per the law, the company ordered the workers to join the more expensive and less beneficial Kokumin Kenko Hoken (National Health Insurance – through their city office), or a private scheme ‘Viva Vida’ which targets mainly Spanish and Portguguese speaking workers in Japan. Of course, the workers at this company demanded enrollment in Shakai Hoken. When they were refused, they joined the General Union to organize around this issue.

A simple demand for enrollment was sent by the union and won in short time, but the company failed to meet their duty to back-enroll our members to cover the period from when they started working at the company. Twenty six General Union members then made a direct application for back enrollment through their social insurance office.

Summer 2009

Are you a GEOS teacher? Well you may not be here starting next year.

Currently GEOS is the only one of the big four language schools that does not regularly enrol teachers in Shakai Hoken. GEOS offers all teachers a 29.5 hour contract which, due to the failure of the government to enforce the law, allows the company to evade their enrolment obligation. So what will GEOS do?

According to the GEOS Kids website, “GEOS provides health and accident insurance which covers basic medical care while employed

by GEOS in Japan. This coverage is only valid while you are in Japan, not in other countries. Dental, maternity, vision and pre-existing conditions are not covered.” This is NOT a valid form of health insurance. It won’t get you a visa, but it may put your health at risk if you have a pre existing condition or if the amount of care you need is not covered. But don’t worry. GEOS teachers may not be around to suffer this.

This was won since the members were all full time workers.

The company, having been ordered to pay two years worth of back payments, then went on to demand that our members also pay their portion of the back payment. At this time the members are discussing how to deal with their past premiums but will not pay them until we can work out the company’s liability regarding the failure to enrol their employees as per the law.

We will continue our fight for health and pension insurance for all Power Cast workers, and all workers in Japan.

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7

ゼ ネ ラ ル ユ ニ オ ン ( 関 西 ・ 東 海 ) 、 全 国 一 般 東 京 南 部 、 福 岡 ゼ ネ ラ ル ユ ニ オ ン

社会保険【健保・年金】加入は、

以下の裁定が下りました。ｾﾞﾈﾗﾙﾕﾆ

加入させない使用者に課すべきあ

法律義務であり、日本で働く外国人

ｵﾝもさっそく、６月１日に入国管理

る。厳重なチェックを」と、申入れ

労働者にも、不可欠なセーフティネ

局に「労働者に責任はなく、ペナル

ました。

ットです。ｾﾞﾈﾗﾙﾕﾆｵﾝの労働相談に

ティは、２９．５時間などの脱法で

も、 「病気になったが医療費がない。 国民健保や民間損保で、休業補償が

２０１０年４月１日以降に、在留資格変更許可申請、及び、在留期

支給されない。滞日中の年金非加入

間更新許可申請をされる皆様には、窓口において、健康保険証の提 示を求めることになります。

で、帰国後も、掛けた年数が不足」 などの、深刻な相談が寄せられてい

「各市町村及び関係行政機関に於ける行政事務の遂行・窓口業務の

ます。

円滑化の観点から、入国管理局においても、申請者の社会保険の加

常勤でさえ、全員加入を怠ってい る私学・教委や、派遣・語学大手【イ

入状況の確認を行い、未加入者に対して、加入を促すなどのの当該 義務の履行促進が求められているための措置」。

ンタラック・ジオス・ＥＣＣ・ベル リッツ・Ｇａｂａなど】に永年、要 求し続け、序々に加入が進んでいま すが、まだまだ全員加入の法定ライ

-ゼネラルユニオン-

ンには、程遠い状態です。とりわけ、 偽装請負と労組敵視で悪名高いイ

脅迫が始まり、教育委内部も対立し 動揺し始めた。

非常勤やパート、派遣や委託労働者

ンタラック社は、全国の教育委に入

ゼネラルユニオンのオルグも再三

への加入差別は著しく、ｾﾞﾈﾗﾙﾕﾆｵﾝ

り込み、外国人指導助手 AET-ALT

岡山入りし、組合員達は頑張り抜い

は、各地の社会保険事務所に「確認

を食い物にしてきた。だが倉敷市教

た。そして、ついに３月末、土壇場

請求」の申立を連発し、職権加入で

委は、インタラックとの委託契約を

での勝利解決が実現した。直接雇用

の救済をはかっています。

解除し、４月から全校の外国人講師

を希望した 7 名の組合員の内、4 名

社会保険庁が、昭和５５年に、通

を直接雇用にすることにした。ゼネ

を倉敷市が直接採用をしました。

達でさえない「内かん」で、「パー

ラルユニオンもこれに賛同し、教育

一方、これに妨害の限りを尽くした

トは常勤の４分の３以上」との加入

委と交渉してきた。

インタラックへは、不当労働行為の

指導基準を出したため、 「それ以下

だが、インタラックから派遣されて

証拠も明白となったことから、ゼネ

は加入できない」との間違った判断

いた組合員達の優先的直接雇用の

ラルユニオンは、インタラックとの

も横行しています。悪徳経営者は

要求したところ、インタラックから

攻防を展開してきた東京南部・福岡

「週２９．５時間だから、常勤でも

「採用を希望すると、双方の職を失

ゼネラルユニオン・全国協神奈川と

加入できない」と抵抗し、争議とな

うぞ。家を明け渡せ」など、電気ガ

も連携し、全国協として、断固たる

っています。そんな折に、政府から、 スを無断で停止させるなど、連日の

法的措置を行う決意である。

全 国 一 般 全 国 協 議 会 w w w . g e n e r a l u n i o n . o r g