Toyota workers campaign to eliminate unpaid overtime work

Calling for a total ban on unpaid overtime work, about 100 workers carried out a concerted action in front of the head office of Japan's largest carmaker Toyota in Toyota City and its three plants in Aichi Prefecture.

From early morning of February 11, workers from the Aichi Federation of Trade Unions and other organizations delivered handbills to Toyota workers going to work, shouting, "Let's root out illegal unpaid overwork through the spring labor offensive."

A Toyota worker told the workers that steps are being taken to end such illegal labor practices. Introducing a comment from a worker's family who is worrying that "karoshi" (death as a result of long and hard work) will face her husband, he called on fellow workers to make efforts so that the "no unpaid overtime" campaign will prevail in Toyota and throughout Japan.

Hatta Hiroko, Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors took a microphone to call for the urgent need to end unpaid overtime work. Major corporations such as Toyota must take steps to avoid any possibility of "karoshi," she said.

The government must take immediate steps to enact laws to regulate illegal business practices, Hatta said. (end)