Union representatives had many discussions with the company around 2007. In April 2008, Gaba raised its lesson rate; the General Union has long claimed that these changes were due to union pressure, but Gaba has maintained that the changes were being discussed in 2006, before the union came to Gaba, and were not related to union pressure. The union subsequently took an unfair labor practice case through the Osaka Labor Relations Commission claiming that Gaba had not negotiated in good faith, and also to have instructors recognized as employees, not independent "gyomu-itaku" (sub-contractors) .