Koyo dismisses union leader, intends to break union

Japan Press Weekly

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Koyo dismisses union leader, intends to break union

Unionized workers at Toyota’s sub-contracting subsidiary on September 1 held a rally in protest against the dismissal of the union leader, Yabe Hiroshi, criticizing the corporate action as a blatant attempt to break the union.

The workers involved are members of the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) Koyo Sealing Techno Branch.

After starting his career at Koyo Sealing Techno Co., Ltd. in Tokushima Prefecture as an independent contractor in August 2000, Yabe organized a JMIU branch in 2004 and exposed the company’s illegal use of “independent contractors in disguise.” In October 2006, as a result of the union’s struggle, the company offered Yabe direct employment as a contract worker. He and the union continued their struggle seeking a full-time position.

Koyo Sealing Techno fired Yabe as of July 29, citing his behavior and other reasons.

The union urged the company to retract the dismissal, pointing out that the company dismissed Yabe in violation of the labor-management agreement, and that some of reasons that the company cited are groundless.

From the JMIU branch and the Tokushima Prefectural Federation of Trade Unions (Tokushima-Roren), about 50 people attended the rally.

Yabe expressed his determination by saying, “I’ll do my best to get the company to reinstate me to my workplace immediately.”

JMIU Tokuchima Branch chair Moriguchi Hideaki said, “JMIU will devote every effort to win a revocation of Yabe’s dismissal.”

- Akahata, September 2, 2010