Opposition parties jointly urge government to give guidance to employers to end abuse of contingent workers

Japan Press Weekly

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

Opposition parties jointly urge government to give guidance to employers to end abuse of contingent workers

On September 8, the Japanese Communist, Democratic, and Social Democratic parties and contingent workers visited the Labor Ministry to request that the relevant authorities strengthen administrative guidance to companies to offer full time position to temporary workers and to stop dismissing temporary workers who exposed illegal uses of temporary workers in the guise of independent contractors.

Contingent Workers’ Union Canon Utsunomiya Plant branch Chair Ono Hideyuki said that union members have worked as short-term contract workers since last October after the union exposed that Canon was using temporary workers as independent contractors. Canon, however, dismissed one union member on the pretext that he made a “mistake”, which actually was a minor one when the contract term expired in August.

Three JCP members of House of Councilors, Koike Akira, Daimon Mikishi, and Yamashita Yoshiki, and House of Representatives Sasaki Kensho accompanied the workers making representations to the Labor Ministry.

Pointing out the fact that most temporary workers who denounced their companies’ illegal practices have been dismissed, the three opposition parties urged the Labor Ministry to prevent such unfair labor practices.

Regarding the dismissal of whistleblowers, a Labor Ministry official said that unfair treatment including dismissal is supposed to be impermissible. However, the ministry has no responsibility to advise companies to give temporary workers long-term positions because their labor contracts are not legal contracts.

Criticizing the ministry Daimon stated, “Companies doubly violate the law in that they use temporary workers disguised as independent contractors and they dismiss them. The ministry should not allow companies to continue such practices.”

Concerning the question of offering full time employment to temporary workers who have worked as disguised independent contractors, Yamashita said that it is possible for the Labor Ministry to instruct companies to give full-time positions to workers who have been falsely treated as independent contractors under the present legal system.

- Akahata, September 9, 2008