Opinion of Central Executive Committee Concerning the CEART Report and Recommendation

December 3, 2008

Japan Teachers' Union Central Executive Committee

On November 20, 2008, the 303rd Session of ILO Governing Body approved the Interim Report of the joint ILO-UNESCO Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendations concerning Teaching Personnel (CEART). CEART is a committee established to monitor the application of "the Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers" (1966) and "the Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel" (1997). CEART reported to ILO with its findings and recommendations based on the fact-finding mission's investigation performed in Japan in April 2008. The"Establishment of a framework for social dialogue between the National Government / Prefectural Boards of Education and Teachers Unions", that JTU (Japan Teachers' Union or NIKKYOSO) has long insisted on, is reflected in the Report and its Recommendations. This key outcome has substantial implications for the future reform of the public service personnel system.

JTU positively accepted the CEART Fact-Finding Mission in April and participated in the hearings held at JTU Headquarters, and subsequently with the Tokyo Senior High School Teachers' Union (TOKOKYO) and the Osaka Prefectural Teachers' Union (OTU), while maintaining close cooperation with Education International (EI) and the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO). In November, Mr. Nakamura, Chairperson of the Central Executive Committee strongly urged the worker members of the Committee on Legal Issues and International Labour Standards (LILS) to press for implementation of the CEART Recommendations at the 303rd Session of ILO Governing Body where the CEART Report and Recommendations were discussed. Specifically, he submitted a written opinion stating that "the Labour Relation System Review Panel which examines how the basic labour rights of public service personnel shall function, should respect the CEART Report and Recommendations and establish a system to realize Social Dialogue", JTU's opinion was thus reflected in the LILS Committee. Mr. Fred van Leeuwen, Secretary General of EI, also sent a "Note" to the Workers' Group of LILS to emphasize the important of "Social Dialogue", stating that "the recent CEART Report and Recommendation will affect not only Japan but also many other countries."

At present, we should say that the administration of public education which is so important for the Japan people, is far from satisfactory. All the administrative measures affecting education are based on laws, acts and prefectural ordinances, which are subject to the compliance and discretion of the Diet and local assemblies. As the social situation is getting more complicated and is rapidly changing, especially in the field of "education" where children are the principal characters, it is important that all the "stakeholders", including the National Government, Boards of Education, teachers and parents, should consult on an equal footing, and assume their responsibility to guarantee the children's right to quality learning.

With the Basic Law on National Public Service Personnel System Reform established and the basic labour rights of all the civil service personnel, including local public service personnel, being examined, the National Public Service Personnel System Reform Promotion Headquarters should take special notice of the CEART Report and Recommendations and design a system which realizes "Social Dialogue". This should be pursued by the Labour Relation System Review Panel established in the Promotion Headquarters. We expressly announce that we are ready to start negotiations or consultations to establish such policies and systems. At the same time, we strongly urge the Japanese Government to tackle speedily the issues raised and to do so respecting the CEART Report and Recommendations.