What are the Reality Behind Intensifying Black Arbeit jobs?

◆What is a “Black Arbeit”?

The problem of “Black Arbeit,” a term referring to jobs in which part-time working students are forced into working beyond their capacity and are negatively affected in their school lives, is growing serious.
Last year, the “Anti-Black Arbeit Job Project” asked college students who had experienced part-time jobs to answer surveys, and published the facts that “Around 30% of students work more than 20 hours a week,” “1 in 4 students have been forced to work shifts based on the convenience of the company,” and “around 70% have experienced unfair treatment.”
Other problems that came up include “being forced to buy products to meet a sales quota” and “bullying at work and sexual harassment by superiors,” and there are possibilities that some companies are conducting illegal acts.

◆Why are students unable to quit their jobs?

So why do these problems occur?
One reason is that the students have a hard time getting through school without such jobs because of rising school fees, decreased allowances from parents, and lack of financial aid.
More and more companies are taking advantage of these students’ economic situations and forcing them to take on as much responsibilities as full-time employees or to meet quotas.
In addition, some purposely use the students’ diligence and assign them tasks with heavy responsibilities, or create close relationships with them so that the students are dependent on work relationships rather than at school.

◆What are recent trends?

In April, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare started its “Make Sure Your Part-Time Job’s Working Conditions are Lawful!” campaign, which notifies students of labor laws to help them avoid trouble at work.
The “Black Arbeit Job Union,” which offers help to students around labor problems, has called on students to talk to unions and lawyers whenever they are unfairly treated at work, and to gather proof by holding onto pay statements, taking notes, and recording conversations when they run into trouble.
Recently, it was made public that the Ministry has been pushing for the cram school industry to provide appropriate pay to workers, a rare move. There have been many reports such as “Teachers’ services before and after classes are not paid for,” and the entire industry is being called on to make changes for the better.