Suzuki Motor's alteration of computer data to conceal unpaid overtime exposed

The Japanese Communist Party in parliament revealed that the major car maker Suzuki Motor Corp. has tampered with computerized labor data to conceal its employees' unpaid overtime from the Labor Standards Inspection Office.

In revealing this at the House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on March 6, JCP Fudesaka Hideyo stated that the tampering of the record to deceive the LSIO is an organized and vicious act, and demanded that Suzuki Motor President Suzuki Osamu fully explain this action in the Diet.

Suzuki Motors this January computerized their work records.

The document, which Fudesaka presented based on an insider accusation, showed that a secret program was installed so as not to keep records of the hours which a worker works overtime. This step was taken to conceal the evidence of unpaid overtime from the LSIO which inspected the firm on February 18.

Referring to Suzuki Motor's ethical codes which state that the firm must observe laws and social rules, Fudesaka criticized the company for acting contrary to its own codes.

Fudesaka said, "Twenty years have passed since the Diet took up the question of overtime work without pay, but unpaid overtime is now increasing. This practice must be stopped." (end)