Clinical Psychotherapist Union Formed --- Establishing Employment Environment Capable of Addressing Rapid Increases of Child Abuse Cases

Clinical psychotherapists working as part-time or temporary personnel at children's institutions (operating at eight locations) founded by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government formed a labor union named Clinical Psychotherapists Union on March 12 as a chapter of the National Union of General Workers (NUGW)-Tokyo East, which was announced to the press on April 6 at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. At present, the number of child abuse-related consultation cases brought in to children's institutions around the country is increasing rapidly. Under such circumstances, the significance of the role of psychotherapists continues to grow. However, employment of these psychotherapists is unstable and the working conditions are very poor. What these workers are concerned with is that the instability and harsh working environment could cause degradation of services, which might in turn cause adverse effect on a large number of children in need of mental or psychological care services. In order to take part in changing the current situation of the matter, psychotherapists stood up for forming the first labor union of the kind. (Mitsuteru Suda, NUGW) * Photo: The Founding members of the Union. (See a related blog page)



臨床心理士ユニオンを結成～児童虐待の急増に対応できる雇用環境を
　東京都が設置している児童養護施設（8施設）で非常勤・臨時職員として働く臨床心理士たちで3月12日、労働組合「臨床心理士ユニオン」を東部労組の支部として結成、4月6日、厚生労働省で記者発表しました。現在、全国の児童相談所に持ち込まれる児童虐待の相談件数は、うなぎ上りに増えています。その中で、心理士の果たす役割は重くなる一方です。ところが、その心理士たちの雇用は不安定で待遇も極めて劣悪です。彼ら彼女らが懸念しているのは、不安定で劣悪な雇用環境がサービスの低下をもたらし、心のケアを必要としている多くの子どもにしわ寄せがいくことです。こうした現状を打開するために心理士は自分たちの手で、初めて労働組合の結成に立ち上がりました。（東京東部労組・須田光照） ＊写真＝組合結成したユニオンメンバー　・当該ブログ