Cram school teachers strike against employment termination at the age of 51

The casual workers teaching at cram schools operated by Ichishin Gakuin Group are refused to extend their annual contracts once they turn 51 years old.
The large cram school operator with 122 branches in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures established the rule of premature retirement without consulting the employees at all. Both president NAMIKI Soichi and vice-president OHARA Akira of the Ichishin Local of the National Union of General Workers Tokyo Tobu were also refused to extend their employment contracts that will expire at the end of February this year. On Feb. 14, members of the union staged a strike in front of the group’s holding company in Tokyo. Some 100 supporters joined and protested against the outrageous dismissal of middle-aged workers who are still highly productive and in need of money to raise children. When a few dozens of union members and supporters entered the office building intending to hand over a letter of demands to the management, the executives refused to receive it or talk to the workers by locking themselves in a room. The union members and supporters shouted chants demanding that the management receive the letter and abolish the rule of forced retirement at 51. (By M) Photo: Union members remonstrating with a manger watching the strikers.
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とんでもない！「51歳雇い止め」～市進支部の組合員がストライキ決行
 
「51 歳 で雇い止め」という就業規則を勝手につくってバンバン「契約社員」（常勤講師）の首をきる「市進学院」。関東一円に122の教室をもつ巨大な進学塾が やっていることは、「教育」とは無縁の金儲けと労働者切り捨てだった。東京東部労組市進支部の並木委員長・大原副委員長の2名も2月末で雇い止め解 雇を通 告されており、2月14日、 撤回と継続雇用を求めるストライキ行動を「市進ホールディングス」前で行った。「働き盛りで一番金のかかる50歳で首切りなど とんでもない」。駆けつけた約100名の支援の仲間の怒りもピークを超えていた。申し入れで会社のビル内に数十 名が入ると、幹部たちは部屋に鍵を掛けて立 てこもり、受け取りを一切拒否。ビル内では「51歳 雇い止めをやめろ！」の抗議のシュプレヒコールが響き渡った。（M）   
動画（社前行動 9分）　＊ 写真＝監視にきた職制（左）に抗議する組合員たち