Court again rules on NTT West's unfair labor practice

Japan Press Weekly

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Court again rules on NTT West's unfair labor practice

The Tokyo High Court on September 28 upheld a lower court decision recognizing NTT West's refusal to negotiate with NTT workers' union as unfair labor practice.

In 2001, NTT, Japan's largest Telephone and Telecommunication group, announced its 110,000 job cut plan that forced workers aged 50 and older to accept early retirement or to move to NTT's subsidiaries with 30-percent wage cuts. Under the plan, if workers refused to accept either option, they were told that they would be transferred to distant work locations.

After the announcement of the job cut plan, the Telecommunication Industry Workers' Union (Tsushin-roso), a member of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), requested NTT West to hold a collective bargaining session but the company rejected the union's request. Tsushin-roso then filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against the company's refusal to negotiate.

The ruling stated that NTT West violated its obligation to thoroughly negotiate with unions under the Labor Union Act, stressing that the employer cannot deny collective bargaining because such a decision to transfer its workers to a distant place would negatively impact workers' working and living conditions.

- Akahata, September 29, 2010