December 7, 2023
The Tokai University teachers and staff union on December 6 went on a strike to demand a wage hike for university workers, including part-time lecturers.
According to the union, not only academic staff but also other university employees have not had a wage increase for 31 years. The average pay of part-time lecturer per class is 30% lower than that of those teaching at other major private universities, such as Waseda University and Keio University. The union demands that the university management offer a more than 15% wage hike for non-regular teachers and an increase of at least 10% in base wages for regular teachers and other university staff.
During the strike, the union held a rally in front of the main gate of the university’s Shonan Campus in Kanagawa’s Hiratsuka City.
A part-time lecturer who took part in the strike, Obara Makiko, said, “Tokai University has forcibly carried out unfair dismissals of non-regular lecturers. I hope that our strike action will attract public attention and force the university to revise its stance toward the union.” A male part-time teacher said, “The number of classes I teach this year decreased to 1-3 from the previous year’s 14, causing a 93% income drop. I can’t make ends meet.”
A British part-time instructor, who suffered an unfair dismissal, said, “I haven’t had a pay rise in 16 years and my employment contract was suddenly terminated. It is totally unacceptable. Raising our voices against the injustice is important.”
According to the union, not only academic staff but also other university employees have not had a wage increase for 31 years. The average pay of part-time lecturer per class is 30% lower than that of those teaching at other major private universities, such as Waseda University and Keio University. The union demands that the university management offer a more than 15% wage hike for non-regular teachers and an increase of at least 10% in base wages for regular teachers and other university staff.
During the strike, the union held a rally in front of the main gate of the university’s Shonan Campus in Kanagawa’s Hiratsuka City.
A part-time lecturer who took part in the strike, Obara Makiko, said, “Tokai University has forcibly carried out unfair dismissals of non-regular lecturers. I hope that our strike action will attract public attention and force the university to revise its stance toward the union.” A male part-time teacher said, “The number of classes I teach this year decreased to 1-3 from the previous year’s 14, causing a 93% income drop. I can’t make ends meet.”
A British part-time instructor, who suffered an unfair dismissal, said, “I haven’t had a pay rise in 16 years and my employment contract was suddenly terminated. It is totally unacceptable. Raising our voices against the injustice is important.”
