Major staffing agency ordered to shut down its operations for illegal labor practices

   The Tokyo Labor Bureau on January 11 ordered Goodwill Inc., a major staffing agency using many day laborers, to shut down its business operations at all its offices across the country ranging from two to four months for its illegal labor practices of “double dispatches” of temp workers as well as having them engage in port transport. The bureau also issued a business improvement order to Goodwill.

   Sagawa Global Logistics Co. and GlobalSUPPORT Inc., the staffing agencies that were engaged in “double dispatches” to receive temp workers from Goodwill and sent them to other companies, also received business improvement orders.

   The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department issued a criminal charge against Towa Lease, a port transport company that also sent temp workers from Goodwill to other companies, on suspicion of violating the Employment Security Law that prohibits labor supply projects.

   The Japanese Communist Party has been demanding an end to such illegal dispatches of temp workers and calls for a drastic revision of related laws to eradicate the unlawful practices.
- Akahata, January 12, 2008