[News from Japan: A Look at Consultation Services]
Chiaki SUZUKI
Action Center for Working Women (ACW2)
(Interviewer/ Compiler: Hikari MOKUTA, graduate student, Hitotsubashi University; RIA, CGS)
[The article below is the same as the article that appears in the sixteenth issue of the CGS Newsletter. Publication of the full texts of this article in English will be forthcoming shortly.]
Many students who come to CGS for advice are anxious about job hunting and their career paths, which points to the need for a consultation service for graduates. We interviewed Chiaki Suzuki about her work at the Action Center for Working Women (ACW2), which provides a telephone consultation service for working women.
What kind of calls do you receive on your hotline?
About 70 per cent of the phone calls we receive are from people who need immediate help with various problems. Job dissatisfaction is high due to unfair changes made to wages, working hours and other working conditions. We find ourselves asking, "What's happened to our labor laws?" We also hear from people who are having problems with interpersonal relationships at work.
When we first started the helpline in 2007, we used to refer people to external organizations such as non-enterprise unions that allow individual membership, regional women's centers, and the Labor Standards Bureau. But this wasn't resolving the problems, as we found that these people continued to call our helpline. External organizations can be helpful for resolving financial issues, but it is very difficult to try to negotiate and resolve problems with people that you see at work. Non-regular part-time and contract workers in particular find it difficult speak up in fear of losing their jobs.
So now we focus on listening to the callers and working with them to come to an understanding of the situation together, and we provide any helpful information that we can. In this way, we try to help the callers determine how to deal with the situation themselves. We collect the data from individual cases to compile reports, which we then submit to advisory committees or use as lobbying resources. We hope to help stimulate change by lobbying relevant institutions and raising awareness in the wider community.
What are some of the important things you try to do when you receive a call?
First, I encourage callers to speak as much as possible and I listen seriously to what they have to say. I then ask appropriate questions to help them see their own situation relatively objectively. Some callers find themselves identifying more and more problems as they talk, and others experience such chaotic emotions that they can't figure things out no matter how much they talk. In such cases, I find the appropriate moment to ask, "What is the most important issue that you would like to discuss today?" I help the caller identify one issue for the day to think about together.
These days I've also started saying "calm down" and "don't rush" to myself when I pick up the phone. That's because I've realized that I tend to drive the conversation at my own pace and not the caller's if I get too caught up in trying to find the least risky and most effective resolution to problems. It's important to spend plenty of time with callers and help them decide how to deal with the situation themselves.
Furthermore, when workers' rights are violated (unfair labor practices, harassment, etc.), it causes much distress and confusion, as well as an erosion of confidence. It can be hard for them to find any way out, but I try to work with them to figure out how they can survive today and then tomorrow, and I help them see that it's all right to prioritize their own lives.
Do you have a message for our readers?
It's really important to find ways to refresh yourself and to have a place where you can put your work issues aside, unwind, and just relax. It also helps to have good friends to talk openly to, but that's not always possible. If you need a helping hand, please call our helpline. You are always welcome!
ACW2 provides a free helpline for working women on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th of every month (6pm to 9pm weekdays, 2pm to 5pm weekends and public holidays). They also offer ongoing telephone consultations by appointment (fees apply). http://wwt.acw2.org/