Shane Eikaiwa Teachers Demand Fair Overtime Pay Amid Rising Living Costs

Tokyo, Japan — 1 May 2025

Teachers at Shane English School (Shane Eikaiwa) have long been expected to calculate and claim their own overtime pay—a process that stands in stark contrast to how swiftly and automatically the company deducts wages when an hour of work is missed.

If a teacher is late or absent, the deduction appears almost instantly, with no paperwork required. But when a teacher works an additional hour of work, the responsibility to be compensated falls entirely on the teacher. Teachers must track down old schedules, calculate totals manually, and fill out a special overtime claim form that few are even shown how to use.

The system has been described by teachers as unnecessarily complicated, opaque, and discouraging by design. It places the burden of proof squarely on educators, many of whom are part-time or on limited-term contracts.

At this year’s annual general meeting, the union has added a clear demand: Shane Eikaiwa must take responsibility for calculating and paying overtime—just as it does for missed hours.

This demand comes as inflation continues to squeeze workers across Japan. With food prices, rent, and transportation costs all rising, the current system is not only inconvenient, it is economically unjust. Teachers are entitled to be paid for the work they do—without having to jump through hoops to get it.

The union urges Shane to modernise its payroll practices and ensure teachers receive the wages they have rightfully earned.