The Union News Vol. 1, No. 7, 3 August 2000
The Union News, an English newsletter of the Hokuriku University Union,is
published from time to time as need arises in the (anonymous) editors'judgment.
Key Issues from October:
Strikes and Fliers
The major issues facing the Hokuriku University Union in the second semester
will include both the distribution of handbills on the street and strikes
against the greedy and least democratic management.
The two tactics were debated passionately at the last extraordinary general
membership meeting on the eve of July 19. The majority of the members present
voted to strike and hand out fliers, with the timing and other details to
be decided later. Thus, from now on, the focus will be on the most effective
timing.
The management, Secretary-General Koshi Okano pointed out, "absolutely hates"
the Union's direct appeal to the public of Kanazawa City. With this mentality
on the board, fliers --a tactic used effectively a few years back -- should
deal a serious blow to the bunch of yes men under the strongman.
So-Called "Education Guidelines"
The Union has learned that chairman may soon release what he calls "Basic
Policies for Educational Reform at Our University."
The draft obtained by a Union leader states in essence that all the three
schools should try to boost numbers, such as pharmacist licenses. The document,
revealed to all the three deans in July, never mentions the efforts thatmay
have been made on the part of the board to solve "severe problems." Notsurprisingly,
the deans refused to take the paper seriously. This fact remindsus of another
fact. When a couple of management folks visited a recent Lawfaculty meeting
to present figures telling a severe environment, a professorraised his hand
and asked, "What have you [the management] been doing tocounter the problem?"
No answer was available.
In the Union's view, the best reform would be revamping the whole board,
including massive replacements of the current members.
Goka-sensei on Labor Situation
Union members heard Prof. Kazumichi Goka of Kanazawa University report about
nationwide labor trends. His speech was a main feature of the Union's fifth
anniversary celebrated at the KKR Hotel on July 15.
The whole employment situation is getting serious and would affect college
teachers, too, sooner or later, he warned. For example, the 1998 amendment
of the Labor Standards Law paved the way for college management’s hiring
(and renewing) teachers on an annual contract basis. Currently, a contract
teacher can reasonably expect to teach for three years.
Goka-sensei lamented that the Kanazawa area lacks "horizontal tie-up,"
meaning that school unions are run independently without even information
swap between them.
For those who are interested in getting more information personally from
Prof. Goka, he teaches at the Faculty of Law as a part-time lecturer on every
Tuesday.