JCP chair urges Isuzu to retract its dismissal plan

Japan Press Weekly

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

JCP chair urges Isuzu to retract its dismissal plan

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on November 26 visited the Isuzu Motors headquarters in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, to urge the automaker to revoke its plan to dismiss 1,400 temporary workers and fixed-term contract workers.

Shii pointed out that the Labor Contract Law prohibits companies from dismissing fixed-term workers by terminating their contracts before their terms expire, unless they can prove “inevitability” due to possible bankruptcy.

Shii criticized Isuzu for violating the law by firing temporary workers and fixed-term contract workers on short notice while expecting to make 60 billion yen in current profits and increase corporate dividends by 1.7 billion yen.

In the meeting, Isuzu Executive Officer Harada Masashi said, “Due to a fall in output, we have no choice but to cut jobs. ‘The company in its work rules for temporary workers’ stipulates that when the company has redundancies due to the company’s business circumstances, it can dismiss temporary workers even before their contract terms expire.”

Regarding Isuzu’s employment rules, which Shii said are in contravention of the Supreme Court decisions and in violation of the Labor Contract Law, Harada was unable to explain the legal grounds for the company action.

Showing reactions to Isuzu’s layoff plan, which the JCP collected, Shii said, “Isuzu is going to leave a large number of temporary workers homeless, forcing them out at year end without providing any financial support.”

Harada said that Isuzu will make the company dormitory available to them until the expiry of contract at the end of March next year, that it will listen to temporary workers who say they cannot accept the dismissal, and that it will help find the workers their next jobs.

At the end of the meeting, Shii once again urged Isuzu to withdraw its layoff plan, stating, “Temporary workers who have received dismissal notices were used as disguised independent contract workers who were later reinstated to their original status as temporary workers or fixed-term contract workers. Many of them worked continuously for Isuzu for four to six years. Isuzu has a responsibility to offer them full-time positions. Doing away with all 1,400 jobs means relinquishing its social responsibility.” - Akahata, November 27, 2008