JCP cheers on Fujitsu workers in Nagano

The Japanese Communist Party Nagano Prefectural Committee on the morning of August 2 called on all the workers of Fujitsu's Nagano plant to decisively rebuff compulsory retirement by the company.

Fujitsu is planning to restructure all 2,000 employees at its Nagano plant and 83 percent or 1,000 of those who work at the Suzaka plant in Nagano Prefecture.

Nagano Prefectural JCP members handed out fliers to workers at the entrance of the Fujitsu Nagano plant. The fliers illustrated a petitionary action which the JCP Dietmembers group on July 31 carried out at the Fujitsu headquarters in Tokyo to request a reconsideration of the restructuring plan.

In the petition, JCP Kijima Hideo, Lower House lawmaker, warned that the 3,000-personnel cut will deal a heavy blow on the local economy, and criticized Fujitsu for using unethical tactics because the company neglects information disclosure and accountability to its workers and the local government. Kijima demanded Fujitsu meet its social responsibility, and succeeded in obtaining a response that whether accepting or refusing the retirement will depend on an employee's free will. To confirm, Kijima asked, "If refusing, will that mean the worker can stay at the present job?" and the company answered, "Yes."

Almost all workers received the handbill, so copies were gone in 30 minutes. Taking a hasty peep at the bill, the workers entered the factory.

Soon within the same day, a worker who read the flier at Fujitsu Nagano plant sent an e-mail to the JCP to ask for an advice, saying, "I'm too old to find another job." (end)