Hilton workers win their jobs back

A court ruled that workers' refusal of wage cuts cannot be used to justify their dismissals.

The Tokyo District Court on March 11 nullified the dismissals of 4 Hilton Tokyo kitchen workers and ordered Hilton Japan Company to pay them back wages.

In March 1999, amidst a slump in business that followed the collapse of the bubble economy, the hotel giant proposed to workers a wage cut of 480,000 to 600,000 yen (about 3,700 to 4,600 U.S. dollars) a year.

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren)-affiliated union of Hilton employees opposed the proposal and demanded collective bargaining with the company. The management coerced the union workers into signing an agreement on the wage cut. Ten employees who refused to sign were dismissed.

Four of the fired 10 then filed a lawsuit against the company, demanding that their dismissals be withdrawn and their back wages be paid.

The judge said that if dismissals of workers complaining about worsened working conditions are justified, it will mean that companies are free to debase working conditions, and that the sackings were unreasonable in light of reason. (end)