Forced overtime work is increasing at post office modeled after Toyota

"Work efficiency has declined and overtime work without pay has increased at Koshigaya Post Office in Saitama Prefecture since it modeled itself in September 2003 after Toyota Motors' notorious ultimate work efficiency formula, said Japanese Communist Party House of Representative member Shiokawa Tetsuya.

Shiokawa visited the post office after he heard workers complain about increasing overtime work.

The postmaster told the JCP representative that the employees are not forced into overtime without pay.

Shiokawa demanded that daily reports which the employees are made to record their work to the minute be examined. The Japan Post could not but promise an examination.

Under the Toyota formula based on tight work schedules, workers are expected to work like robots.

Chairs were taken away to make workers keep standing while they sort mail according to addresses. To the trade union's questionnaire, 90 percent of workers said they feel exhausted.

An upper limit of overtime hours to be worked, which is agreed on between the labor and management, was consecutively increased from 40 to 50 hours in two months to 113 hours at present.

The Japan Post plans to apply the Toyota formula to all post offices beginning from April 1, and Koshigaya Post Office was chosen for trial. (end)