Expectations and reality “I can't continue” with a sense of satisfaction and responsibility June 14, 18:02
"I was wondering if the treatment would be a little better. To put it badly, it feels like a fraud,"
says a 20-something teacher who works as a non-regular teacher at a public high school in western Japan. I'm a man.
A system that can provide bonuses to non-regular civil servants began in April last year, and it was expected that the income gap between regular and non-regular employees would be reduced.
It's been a year since then.
Contrary to the aim of the system, there are a series of disappointing voices from the parties concerned.
(Non-regular civil servant interview group Mito Broadcasting Station reporter Rei Saito)
Expectations for improved treatment
Last April.
With the start of "equal pay for equal work" to eliminate the unreasonable disparity in treatment between regular employees and non-regular employees for large private companies, the national government will also try to correct the disparity between regular and non-regular civil servants. System has started.
Non-regular civil servants have come to be called "fiscal year appointments" and are now able to pay bonuses and retirement allowances.
In municipalities nationwide, about one-third of civil servants are now non-regular people, and there are also those who are at the forefront of administrative services, such as nursery teachers and nurses, who require a high degree of specialization. There are many.
Even if the work content is the same as that of regular staff, there are many cases where the salary is low.
At the site, expectations for improved treatment have spread.
“It feels like a scam”
A man in his twenties who works as a non-regular teacher at a public high school in western Japan was also one who was hoping for improved treatment.
After getting a teacher's license at the university, I worked as a part-time lecturer, but my monthly income was about 100,000 yen, and the financial situation remained difficult.
In April of last year, when the system started, men became "fiscal year appointment staff" and continued to take classes 15 hours a week.
The salary is now calculated based on the number of hours of class instead of the monthly salary system.
However, due to the influence of the new coronavirus last year, classes were canceled one after another.
Since the amount of cancellation is not calculated, monthly income becomes unstable, and the smallest month is about 40,000 yen.
The average monthly salary is about 80,000 yen, which is about 20,000 yen less than before.
In addition, the bonuses expected under the new system were not paid to men.
Men were excluded because they were targeted for more than 15 and a half hours a week, with less than 30 minutes.
Non-regular high school teacher
"I was wondering if the treatment would be a little better, but when I opened the lid, the salary was actually cut. That's weird. ”If you say it insanely badly, it feels like you've been scammed.”
Until now, men used to consult with students about finding employment after school.
However, since I work on an hourly basis, I am required to leave the workplace after class.
On the other hand, it is said that the number of unpaid jobs has increased, such as scoring tests after hours and being told to attend meetings even on days when there are no classes.
Non-regular male teacher
"A teacher is a job that requires thinking about the future of students. From the perspective of students, even non-regular teachers are one teacher, so take pride, close your eyes on salary, and work. However, some people may want to become teachers but have to give up on this treatment, and the awareness and motivation that they will be responsible for the future of their children will decline. I think it could lead to a decline in the quality of education. I don't think it can be continued with just a sense of satisfaction and responsibility. "
There have been a series of voices from non-regular civil servants nationwide that the new system has not led to improved treatment.
Better treatment for the private sector ...
A woman who has worked full-time as a non-regular public health nurse for nearly 20 years in a local government in Chiba Prefecture has become part-time with the new system, and her daily work has been shortened by 45 minutes.
It was explained that the working hours were shortened due to the review of the work contents, but in reality, the contents and amount of work did not change, and it is said that overtime work was forced.
The bonus was paid, but the monthly salary is decreasing, so the annual income does not improve the treatment.
In addition, as a part-time worker, retirement allowances are no longer paid.
Non-regular public health nurse in Chiba Prefecture
"Monthly salary is decreasing and I can't afford to live. I continue because this job is worthwhile, but if I am a private sector, I can work with better treatment. The administration is now. I don't feel like I'm paying attention to the fact that the service can be maintained because of the non-genuine existence. "
From "full-time" to "part-time"
According to a survey conducted by the Ibaraki Labor Union, a labor organization, on municipalities in Ibaraki Prefecture as of April, which has been one year since the system was introduced, about 15,000 non-regular civil servants (employees appointed for the year of the interview) Of these, about 98% were part-time, and it was found that some allowances such as retirement allowances were not paid.
According to the Ibaraki Labor Union, after the introduction of the system, non-regular employees who were full-time employees have been able to switch to part-time work, which is about 15 to 30 minutes shorter, without changing the content of their work, and their annual income has decreased. The voice is also rising.
The Ibaraki Labor Union analyzes that the start of a new system to improve treatment has led to a shift from full-time to part-time to curb labor costs.
A person in charge of a local government in Ibaraki Prefecture said, "The local government's finances have been in a difficult situation due to the declining population, but the response to the new coronavirus has made it even more difficult."
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications-
"Corresponding such as to reduce the salaries and remuneration to the reason the only financial constraints, the notification of the issue and has to do not meet the spirit of the law revision"
set properly the contents of the "work, in the form of treatment commensurate with it It is necessary. For local governments that do not meet the purpose of the new system of improving treatment, we would like to consider hearings in the future. "
It does not hold for "no non-regular"
Further interviews revealed that the current treatment did not allow us to secure non-regular civil servants, and there were some sites where administrative services were delayed.
It is a child guidance center in Ibaraki prefecture.
Although it is a nationwide trend, the number of consultations on child abuse continues to increase year by year in Ibaraki Prefecture, reaching about 4,000 last year.
Consultations on children's disabilities are also increasing.
For this reason, Ibaraki Prefecture has expanded its system by hiring non-regular staff.
Today, 40% of the 260 child guidance center staff in the prefecture are non-regular.
Among them, non-regular staff who are qualified as child welfare officers and child psychology officers are ready to respond to abuse consultations and recognize disabilities.
Katsuo Takahashi, a child welfare specialist who oversees child guidance centers in Ibaraki Prefecture, says that child guidance centers can no longer be established without non-regular staff.
Ibaraki Prefectural Central Children's Counseling Center Katsuo Takahashi Child Welfare Specialist
"Regular and non-regular staff form a team to deal with abuse. , I have non-regular people play a very important role. "
A child guidance center that has been supported by highly specialized non-regular staff.
However, changes have been occurring for about three years.
Even if we submitted a job offer to hire non-regular staff, there were few applications and we could not secure enough human resources.
Inevitably, the Child Guidance Center assigns people with priority in responding to child-threatening abuse.
The vacancy is due to the fact that the department responsible for issuing disability certificates to people with intellectual disabilities.
A notebook is indispensable for receiving welfare services, but it is said that the interviews required for issuance cannot be done immediately, and it usually takes about 3 weeks from application to issuance, but in some cases it takes 2 months.
Ibaraki Prefecture has decided that relying on non-regular staff for difficult and burdensome tasks such as dealing with abuse and disabilities is no longer the limit.
This year, we hired 15 regular employees.
Under stable treatment, we will hone our skills and have them deal with abuse.
Ibaraki Prefectural Central Children's Counseling Center Katsuo Takahashi Child Welfare Specialist
"With the difference in treatment between regular and non-regular staff, it is quite difficult to collect child welfare officers and child psychology officers under a non-regular contract. I feel that neither the issuance of a disability certificate nor the response to abuse should be delayed and the life of the child should not be threatened. Regular staff will hone their expertise in the long run. I think it is necessary to respond. "
Increasing “labor shortage”
Improving the treatment of non-regular civil servants, which is indispensable for maintaining the current administrative services.
However, experts say that the financial situation of local governments is severe due to the declining population, and the movement to curb labor costs has not changed.
Yoji Kanbayashi, Researcher, Local Government Research Institute
"Although grants were distributed from the national government to local governments in line with the new system, they were used for anything other than labor costs because they could be used for general financial resources. Even if I paid a bonus to non-regular civil servants, I felt that the monthly salary was lowered by that amount, and as a result, the disparity did not close and was fixed. "
Experts also point out that the treatment of non-regular civil servants is not just a matter for local governments and parties.
Yoji Kanbayashi, Researcher, Local Government Research Institute
"Administrative services are labor-intensive. When it comes to denormalizing them and not improving their treatment, there is a sense of labor shortage. Will be strengthened and support will not reach those who need it. I get the impression that administrative services are deteriorating. Who is in charge of administrative services and what is the state of those who are in charge of them? If we don't look at it, it will be worse in the future. I think we are on the brink of that. "
The problem of "non-regular civil servants" that is directly linked to our lives.
I would like to continue my coverage.
We look forward to hearing from you.
News Post ｜ NHK NEWS WEB
Mito Broadcasting Station Reporter
Rei Saito
Joined in 2016 Continued coverage of issues such as non-regular civil servants and victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.