Japan Press Weekly

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2023 August 2 - 8 [LABOR]

Union condemns Osaka Expo organizer’s demand for overtime cap exemption for Expo construction workers

A recent news report revealed that the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition which will be held in Osaka, with the aim of dealing with delays in preparations including the construction of foreign pavilions, requested the government to exempt construction workers from the application of an overtime cap rule.

In reaction to the news report, the Osaka Federation of Trade Unions (Osaka-roren), which is affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), on July 31 issued a statement in protest against the Osaka Expo organizer’s demand.

Osaka-roren in its statement pointed out that the association made a demand in violation of its procurement code prohibiting the imposition of “illegally-long working hours” on workers. The union criticized the 2025 Expo organizer for the intent to force workers to work excessively long hours which will jeopardize their safety. It said, “The association’s move is totally unacceptable.”

Osaka-roren pointed out that the association’s overtime cap exemption demand goes against the law on workstyle reform as it requires the construction sector to rectify its practice of long working hours. The union urged the government to instruct the association to withdraw its outrageous request.

On this day, a prefectural workers’ union in Osaka, which will host the 2025 Expo, submitted to Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi a written request calling on the prefectural government to give the association an order to comply with the overtime cap rule.

Furthermore, in Tokyo, a lawyers’ group working on labor issues, the Labor Lawyers Association of Japan, published a statement in protest against the association’s unreasonable demand.