ILO makes new recommendations concerning jobs for former JR workers

The International Labor Organization (ILO) on June 20 approved a recommendation based on the report by the Committee on the Freedom of Association which calls for Japanese government efforts to resolve the allegation of anti-union discrimination conducted by Japan Railway companies (JRs).

When the Japan National Railways (JNR) was privatized and broken up in 1987, successor companies of JR did not hire 1,047 former JNR workers who were members of either the National Railway Workers' Union (Kokuro) or the All National Railway Locomotive Engineers' Union (Zendoro).

In October 2002, The Tokyo High Court ruled that JRs' refusal to rehire them did not constitute an unfair labor practice.

The ILO in the recommendation noted that although the high court stated that Japan Railways did not engage in unfair labor practice, it ruled for the first time that JR is held responsible as employers and that the opposition of the two unions to the JNR's privatization plan was a factor in the rehiring decisions.

The statement said, "The committee emphasizes that the issues at hand are very serious ones in terms of freedom of association principles, i.e. preferential treatment at hiring, and should be addressed by the government."

Kumagai Kanamichi, president of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), said that the recommendation revealed that the high court ruling is internationally unacceptable and in violation of the ILO Convention No.98 which secures the freedom of association. (end)