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Has anybody joined the General Union from a small tech company?

1 points · submitted Jan 2026 by u/Ark42 · やばい · archived

How did you go about the process? Did you join alone, or get more co-workers on board first? Were you able to get a majority of people in your company to join? What's the process like? Do you just join and remain silent with your company, or is there formal papers to notify the director of your company that you've joined a union?

I've reached out to the General Union on their website, trying to figure out how to get started. I got an email back from them pretty quick, but after replying with some questions, I feel like they may have just ghosted me. I'm not sure if they expect me to just join on my own and pay my first months dues before talking any further or if they're just super busy.

I realize there is a limit of what they can guarantee and how much time they can spend discussing the situation at my company, but I'd really like to know a bit more about how to go about things before just joining.

Also, if there are any other unions open to anybody to join, which are better suited to Tokyo or tech, please let me know. General Union seems mostly in Osaka/Kansai and focused around English teachers primarily, but that's probably not really an issue, I'm not sure..

21 comments · 54% upvoted · other discussions

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Dood_Surfston 8 points · Jan 2026

There's a similar union in Tokyo called Tozen (東ゼン). You can join as an individual and get legal advice from their lawyer. Ideally you'd organize your workplace and create a branch, but they're still helpful even if you don't succeed in doing this.

A lot of their members are teachers, though there are a few tech firms that have branches. They're quite active in taking labour violations to court, organizing protests, and acting in solidarity with other unions.

Ark42 [OP] 1 points · Jan 2026 · 関東・東京都

This post has the most upvotes this morning. Are there any significant pros/cons or does anybody have experience or stories to share with Tozen or the General Union? At a first glance now, all I can really see is Tokyo vs Osaka, and since I'm in Tokyo, maybe Tozen would be easier to deal with....

Dood_Surfston 2 points · Jan 2026

No cons that I'm aware of. They're pretty friendly and approachable. You can meet the officers in person at their Kagurazaka office if you have any questions. I got a lot of good advice from them when there was an issue at my old workplace.

hobovalentine 5 points · Jan 2026

General Union is a very weak Union and their level of expertise is with English teaching so it would not be a worthwhile endeavor to ask them to help you.

You would probably have better luck first consulting with the labor board if the violations are severe enough.

eyekyu69 4 points · Jan 2026

I'm not in tech, but I am in the GU. And I'm in Tokyo.

They had a long holiday and things have been super busy before that and since then, so perhaps that's why you haven't heard back from them in a while. Usually, non-member consultations are for resolving an active dispute with your company, so that might also be the issue here.

You can join a union by yourself and it's recommended that you don't tell your company right away. There is a formal procedure for declaring your union membership to the company (the GU handles this at your request). It's up to you (and your coworkers if they join) to decide when or if you want to go public about your union membership.

Once you're a member you will be designated to your corresponding branch and informed of who your branch officers are. I would say reaching out to them is probably a good way to get more info and clarification, rather than talking with the general secretary or whoever is doing your consultation. You are only expected to start paying dues the month after you apply, so you have some time to test things out before you pay. For example, if you join any time in January, you pay your March dues in February (January and February are free).

As for IT, I think it's the fastest growing sector in the GU right now. It is relatively new for us, but that shouldn't be a problem when it comes to organizing and collective bargaining.

I'm in the process of declaring along with a handful of my coworkers so feel free to DM me any other questions you have. I'd be happy to set up a video/voice call if that's easier too.

Ark42 [OP] 2 points · Jan 2026 · 関東・東京都

Thank you for providing these details. Somebody with GU did reach out to me via private reddit chat and has been pretty helpful in answering some questions. They had access to the form I filled out on GU's website, so I trust that they're legit and all. I totally understand if people are busy, especially after the holidays. It's fair if they have to prioritize ongoing activity with current paying members as well. This is why I came here to get more feedback from various people who may have experience as well.

Also, based on another post here, I emailed Tozen and they've been pretty quick to reply with a few things as well and want to set up a Zoom call with me soon. Not trying to play one against the other or anything, because I didn't even know there were multiple "general unions" beyond the "General Union" until recently.

May I ask why you joined GU over any other choice (such as Tozen) if you're also in Tokyo? Now that I've learned a slight bit, I see GU is based in Osaka, and Tozen in Shinjuku. Both unions seem very good and knowledgeable, both seem to have a lot of foreigners, and both seem to be representing a lot of ALT / Eikaiwa teachers, so other than location, I don't have much significant that differentiates the two yet.

eyekyu69 3 points · Jan 2026

Awesome! Glad to hear that! Thanks for the follow-up.

Yeah unions can be a bit confusing here. I was initially confused about the difference between independent unions like these and enterprise unions. I didn't realize there were different kinds.

I joined the GU mostly because I wanted to join a union and it was the first one I found. I didn't know about Tozen until after I joined. I did seek a consultation with the GU first, over a dispute at work, but that got resolved so quickly I didn't end up needing help from the GU for it.

A lot of the GU's secretariat is based in Kansai, but nearly half of our members are in Kanto and we have a few meetups in Tokyo throughout the year. Most of our communication, regardless of where we live, is through email and Zoom.

I don't really know much about Tozen so please take this with a grain of salt. From what I've read they seem more likely to take things to court than the GU is. Maybe they're more willing to antagonize or maintain a hostile relationship with bad/stubborn employers (I'm not saying these approaches are bad or wrong)... Meanwhile, the GU actively avoids taking things to court, preferring to resolve issues through collective bargaining and pressure from the Labour Standards Inspections office. They've dealt with lawsuits, but view that as a last resort in most cases.

If I were only concerned with myself (e.g. I'm the sole employee at a small eikawa), I would absolutely join Tozen I think since I am usually not one to put up with bs from my employer. However, based on my job experience, I know how scared and obsequious to authority other workers can be, so a more aggressive union might not be the best fit if you're trying to build broad support and secure long-term employment. The GU seems to be a good balance of willing to fight while trying to maintain a positive relationship with your employer.

wispofasoul 5 points · Jan 2026

Go for a free consultation with a lawyer. I ended up being unhappy with the General Union.

Ark42 [OP] 4 points · Jan 2026 · 関東・東京都

Could you tell me more about why you were unhappy with the General Union specifically? 

wispofasoul 0 points · Jan 2026

Private DM

vinsmokesanji3 1 points · Jan 2026

Why not make a union at your company instead? Only a few people are required to make one

SyntaxLost 3 points · Jan 2026

There are a bunch of requirements which need to be met to legally become recognised as a union and compel an employer to engage in good faith negotiation. By joining an existing union, you'll have these requirements met which saves a ton of procedure and paperwork. They'll also provide a negotiator, which helps if you're not experienced in negotiation.

vinsmokesanji3 0 points · Jan 2026

What do you mean by a bunch of requirements? I understood that making a labor union is relatively easy (https://www.union-law.jp/qa/union/qa5/)

SyntaxLost 1 points · Jan 2026

必要書類一覧

  • 労働組合資格審査申請書
  • 組合規約及び付属規程（議事運営規程・選挙規程等）
  • 組合役員名簿

【会社における役職名があれば記載する】

  • 非組合員の範囲を示す一覧図（合同労組及び連合体の場合は不要）

【職名を記載した会社の組織図に線を引き、組合員と非組合員の範囲を区分する】

  • 直近の組合会計決算書

【結成直後である場合は予算書】

  • 労働協約（締結している場合のみ）

You will also need to elect officers, have a General Meeting and handle financial reporting.

BullishDaily -3 points · Jan 2026

Why would you join a union if you work for a small company? Unions are usually for big companies as a balancing act to counter the power medium and large size enterprises have over (most, not all) of their employees.

Ark42 [OP] 3 points · Jan 2026 · 関東・東京都

Because the small branch is part of a larger global company. Because the small company seems to be flagrantly flouting the law with changes to the work rules. Because just an "employee representative" does not have enough power to get the results we want. Because a union will bring experts onto our side to fight on our behalf.

BullishDaily 0 points · Jan 2026

Sounds like you need either a lawyer or a new job or both, not a union.

rsmith02ct 3 points · Jan 2026

Maybe a union, too.

Ark42 [OP] 0 points · Jan 2026 · 関東・東京都

Yeah, that's why I'm asking... This guy doesn't seem to be helping though. 

To be honest though, I like my job, and I like everybody in the office. The problem is basically only things being forced upon us by a global head office...

rsmith02ct 3 points · Jan 2026

I've heard of General Union helping with branches of eikawa for example but have never worked with them personally. Having someone on your side who knows the laws and how to make things difficult for employers can be a help.