April 27, 2017
In a lawsuit seeking to annul IBM Japan’s “lockout” layoffs, four dismissed workers reached an agreement with the company mediated by the Tokyo District Court on April 25.
Representatives of the Japan Metal, Manufacturing, Information and Telecommunication Workers’ Union (JMITU) branch at IBM Japan held a press conference in the Labor Ministry office building on the following day, announcing that two workers will return to their jobs and another two will receive a monetary settlement.
A 56-year-old plaintiff whose reinstatement to the job was confirmed said, “I couldn’t have fought this on my own. I’d really like to thank the union, the lawyers, and all the people who kept supporting us.”
Lawyer Okada Hisashi said, “In Japan, a court decision invalidating one’s dismissal does not automatically mean a return to work. In that sense, the two IBM workers’ reinstatement is highly significant.”
Including these four plaintiffs, a total of eleven “locked-out” IBM workers resorted to a lawsuit. They are all members of the JMITU IBM Japan branch. Six already won nullification of their dismissals in previous proceedings. The case involving the remaining plaintiff is still pending in court.
IBM Japan refers to itself as “Japan’s poison tester” for American-style “lockout” layoffs. The world’s leading computer maker locked targeted workers out of the office under the pretext of poor job performances. However, the PC manufacturer’s real purpose was to squash the union which was opposing IBM Japan’s restructuring scheme. In fact, after 2012, out of 49 workers who received dismissal notices from the company, 34 or 70% were unionized workers.
Past related articles:
> Court invalidates IBM Japan’s dismissals of union workers [March 29, 2016]
> Another union member sues IBM Japan for ‘lockout’ dismissal [July 5, 2014]
> Another two union members sue IBM for their ‘lockout dismissals’[June 21, 2013]
> Union worker wages court battle against ‘lockout’ dismissal [June 13, 2013]
> IBM conducts forcible ‘lockout’ dismissals [October 13, 2012]
> Ex-IBM workers sue against unfair dismissal [October 16, 2012]
Representatives of the Japan Metal, Manufacturing, Information and Telecommunication Workers’ Union (JMITU) branch at IBM Japan held a press conference in the Labor Ministry office building on the following day, announcing that two workers will return to their jobs and another two will receive a monetary settlement.
A 56-year-old plaintiff whose reinstatement to the job was confirmed said, “I couldn’t have fought this on my own. I’d really like to thank the union, the lawyers, and all the people who kept supporting us.”
Lawyer Okada Hisashi said, “In Japan, a court decision invalidating one’s dismissal does not automatically mean a return to work. In that sense, the two IBM workers’ reinstatement is highly significant.”
Including these four plaintiffs, a total of eleven “locked-out” IBM workers resorted to a lawsuit. They are all members of the JMITU IBM Japan branch. Six already won nullification of their dismissals in previous proceedings. The case involving the remaining plaintiff is still pending in court.
IBM Japan refers to itself as “Japan’s poison tester” for American-style “lockout” layoffs. The world’s leading computer maker locked targeted workers out of the office under the pretext of poor job performances. However, the PC manufacturer’s real purpose was to squash the union which was opposing IBM Japan’s restructuring scheme. In fact, after 2012, out of 49 workers who received dismissal notices from the company, 34 or 70% were unionized workers.
Past related articles:
> Court invalidates IBM Japan’s dismissals of union workers [March 29, 2016]
> Another union member sues IBM Japan for ‘lockout’ dismissal [July 5, 2014]
> Another two union members sue IBM for their ‘lockout dismissals’[June 21, 2013]
> Union worker wages court battle against ‘lockout’ dismissal [June 13, 2013]
> IBM conducts forcible ‘lockout’ dismissals [October 13, 2012]
> Ex-IBM workers sue against unfair dismissal [October 16, 2012]
