Japan Press Weekly

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2023 August 23 - 29 [LABOR]

French teachers at Athenee Francais go on strike to demand indefinite employment contracts

Three French teachers at the over 100-year-old language school, Athenee Francais (Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward) on August 24 went on strike, calling for guarantee of minimum working hours and compensation for absence from work when classes are not held.

The Athenee Francais labor union which represents French language teachers has demanded that as lecturers work under fixed-term contracts for more than five years, the school must fulfill its obligation under the Labor Contract Act to convert their employment contracts to indefinite ones. However, the school refused to accept the union’s demand and notified three teachers that their contracts will be terminated at the end of August if they do not agree with the current conditions. Therefore, the three decided to go on a strike.

At a rally held in front of the school gate during the strike, one of the three teachers said that the school should provide better working conditions in reward for his/her 12 years of service.

Union chair Yokoyama Takashi at a press conference in the Labor Ministry office building said that the school should abide by labor laws and recognize French instructors’ labor rights.