Our union is not a service – but if you are willing to band together with your fellow workers to win better conditions for everyone, we would welcome you as a member.

Below are some of the most important things to know if you’re thinking about joining our union.

Locals

Tozen Union is made up of 30 ‘local’ chapters, usually just called ‘locals’. Most comprise workers at a particular company, while a few are ‘caucuses’ made up of workers across a whole industry. For most members, the local is the first port of call and most regular point of contact within the union.

Dues

All Tozen members pay union dues of 2000 yen each month. These are funds held in common and used for common purposes. We decide our budget democratically each spring. Some locals have their own dues, ranging from 200 to 800 yen per month. Our payment services providers charge transaction fees of between 87 and 300 yen per dues payment – but we offer an optional refund of these fees each April.

Meetings

We are a democratic union: members decide together what action to take. To make this possible, it’s essential that we show up to meetings to discuss ideas and vote on courses of action. Tozen Union has four general meetings per year. Each local has its own meeting schedule – some meet each month, others as the need arises.

Management

We ask all members never to talk to management about matters connected to the union. As a union, we elect representatives who present management with our collective position. We do not negotiate as individuals.

If you have any questions, please email field@tozenunion.org