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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Illegal use of temps and contract workers doubled

A Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry report submitted to Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Daimon Mikishi showed that illegal use of temporary and contract workers has doubled during the past year.

According to the report, prefectural labor bureaus surveyed 4,563 business establishments staffed by temporary workers in 2004. Of these, 2,337 establishments (51.2 percent) were found to be violating the law. The percentage doubled from 2003 (25.1 percent) . 639 establishments received an administrative order to correct their illegal contract work, which was 2.6 times the number of 2003.

The Tokyo Labor Bureau found illegal use of temporary workers at 577 establishments (81.2 percent), and issued administrative orders to 108 establishments (76.5 percent) that hire contract workers.

Daimon said, "Deregulation has led to a rise in the number of temporary workers, and the illegal use of temporary and contract workers, mainly young people, is sharply increasing. Large companies use as many contingent workers as possible as part of their cost cutting strategy. Strict supervision by enforcement authorities is necessary. At the same time, legislation to protect temporary and contract workers is urgently needed."

Temporary staffing is a system in which a staffing agency leases workers to companies. Contract work is a system in which workers, independent of a company's administration, complete a specific work task ordered by the company. An increasing number of companies use temporary and contract workers at low wages as a disposable workforce without full labor rights.

Staffing services had been prohibited since the end of World War II on the grounds that employers' responsibilities become very vague and that workers are put in an extremely vulnerable position. However, the Temporary Workers Law, which was enacted in 1986 due to pressure from business circles, softened the ban. Since then, this law has been repeatedly revised. In 2004, the adversely revised law totally removed the ban on the use of temporary workers in the manufacturing industry. Only the JCP has consistently opposed successive adverse revisions.
- Akahata, December 5, 2005