Junior Senior High SIG

News from Osaka

Written by William Matheny

his topic directly affects Native English teachers in Osaka Fu public high schools and may be of interest to anybody who cares about education. Please forward to anybody you think would like to come or would like to know about this event. If you do not wish to be included in this sort of mailing please say so.

For the Students

You are invited to a 24 hour vigil near the Governor's office
Monday July 14th and Tuesday, July 15th. Osaka has not seen a social action event like this since the 70's. Please come and help make history! The previous April press conference can be viewed in one minute at OFSETUnion.org.

The cat's out of the bag...and it will scratch our NET salaries exactly 145,440 yen per year. Starting August first, we will be the lowest paid native high school English teachers in Osaka...perhaps Japan...lower than T-NETs, much lower than JETs. How does this make you feel?

It makes me want to fight back...but fight whom? At the fourth of July pre-final negotiation, it became clear that our opposition is not really the BOE. The BOE members are apparently completely impotent to make any sort of a challenge to the budget cutters. Please come to a pre-negotiation or negotiation to make your own assessment. Our final negotiation is in two days: this Wed, July 9 at 6:00 at the BOE. All OFSET members are welcome.

The instigator of our salary loss is but one person, Hashimoto Tooru, our Governor. Hishimoto's new policy is to take money from schools and put it into a Grand Midosuji Boulevard Light Show. It's ridiculous, but average people don't realize it. I've been asking average folks in shops and on the train if they know about education cuts. They don't. I've asked them if they know about the Light Show project. They do, but they do not think it is a good idea.

Why can this go forward, you ask? It is because there has been no concerted effort by anybody, including our parent union to link the budget cuts to anything but teachers' salaries. The public listens with an unsympathetic ear: "Right, overly paid government workers complaining again."

The Governor's policies directly affect students. These two core links: students and the crazy illumination project we will be topics we present to the media and the people of Osaka during our 24 hour vigil, From July 14th to July 15th.

We start on July 14th meeting at 1:30 at the Kyoiku To (Tower) in Osaka Jo Koen to the right and in front of the Osaka Fu government office. The tower is actually in front of the NHK builiding. From Keihan Temmabashi walk up to the BOE, turn left to the park and right once you get in the park. Walk to the tall obelisk-looking tower.

Our first press conference will be at 3:00 in the BOE: 5th floor Kisha Club room. We will hand deliver a letter to the Governor's office. All Union members are welcome!

Our press conference will be followed by a short demonstration and then a two hour music concert: For the Students, featuring local musicians at the Kyoiku Tower. This will be followed with demonstrations into the evening and then many Japanese will join us to spend the night...in front of the tower. A tent will be waiting for you if you RSVP.

In the morning, we will hold our net press conference to discuss conclusions of late night meetings. Next, demonstrations all day till the final press conference at 3:00 the next day.

Thanks to the solid support of members. Our ranks are the most solid they have been in years. BIG Thanks to those who have been involved with the school petitions. If you would still like to join, please do, we need you to show our enthusiasm for keeping our jobs and opposing budget cuts for education.

OFSET members have been aware of the actions taken toward keeping our jobs and keeping our salaries. This letter is being sent to all NETs. Please unite! Our message on July 14th and July 15th is, "For the Students!"

Musicians have been invited to perform. The press is being called. We hope our voices are loud and clear enough to attract international press. We hope our slogans are memorable enough to be quoted all over Japan. More information will be available on www.OFSETUnion.org.

Nothing like this has ever been done in Osaka for students. Please come for some time during the 24 hours. You will look back and be glad you did!

Solidarity...on Bastille Day
Steven Thompson
OFSET General Secretary
www.ofsetunion.org

090-1226-2317