February 18 & 19, 2011
In addition to its own downsizing, Japan Airlines is forcing one of its subsidiaries to fire all employees and go out of business. This was revealed by Japanese Communist Party member Kokuta Keiji at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on February 17.
Under corporate rehabilitation procedures, JAL has decided to end the operations of its 12 MD-90 airplanes by 2012. Due to this decision, Nitto Aircraft Maintenance, a JAL subsidiary which has maintained this type of aircraft for JAL, will be forced to close down and dismiss all its 150 workers by the end of March.
“As a parent company, JAL should fulfill its responsibility to offer new jobs to the subsidiary company workers,” said Kokuta.
Until their retirement in 2012, the 12 airplanes must receive a thorough maintenance at least 10 times as required by law. Vice Transport Minister Mitsui Wakio stated that the MD-90s maintenance will be taken over by JAL Engineering, another subsidiary of the major carrier.
JAL Engineering, however, has conducted the maintenance of MD-90s only once a year with the help of Nitto, according to Kokuta. “Not only that, this company is also carrying out a massive dismissal. Some workers there said that they lack both the technology and the labor force to fully take over the maintenance work,” he stressed.
Transport Minister Ohata Akihiro promised that the government will hold an on-site inspection of the JAL-affiliated company.
Grand crews
Kokuta introduced the latest report made by JAL Ground Service, another JAL subsidiary, on the number of accidents it recently experienced in its ground-handling services, such as instances of failure to latch containers before loading onto planes, a runaway dolly, and damage on a passenger boarding bridge.
The JCP lawmaker revealed that this particular JAL-related firm also plans to carry out a major downsizing scheme of cutting more than 2,000 workers (one third of its workforce) within the year.
Cabin attendants working at boarding gates
In the name of cost reduction, JAL has cut the number of its subsidiary employees working at boarding gates and assigned cabin attendants to work on the ground to fill their positions.
This makes it difficult for cabin attendants to fulfill their primary task to maintain flight safety, including checking emergency equipment and identifying suspicious persons or objects. Being assigned to do ground work before boarding, they do not have enough time to fully familiarize themselves with conditions onboard and properly readying for takeoff.
Meanwhile, because of the shortage of manpower at boarding gates, JAL has even had a case of a passenger boarding the wrong plane.
“The radical reduction in workforce in every corner of the aviation business has caused grave situations that threaten flight safety,” Kokuta stressed. He demanded that the government immediately conduct investigations on the JAL-affiliated companies.
* * *
Transport Minister Ohata Akihiro on February 18 called Japan Airlines President Onishi Masaru to the ministry and urged him to carry out an in-house investigation and report the findings to the government regarding concerns over the company’s safety operations. He also told Onishi that the ministry will hold an on-site investigation on this matter.
The minister made this request in response to questions raised at Diet discussions by JCP Chair Shii Kazuo and Lower House member Kokuta Keiji, who claimed that the airline’s massive dismissal scheme is threatening its flight safety.
Minister Ohata stressed that securing safety must come first in the corporate reconstruction plan. President Onishi answered, “Safety is our foundation as well as our social responsibility.”
Under corporate rehabilitation procedures, JAL has decided to end the operations of its 12 MD-90 airplanes by 2012. Due to this decision, Nitto Aircraft Maintenance, a JAL subsidiary which has maintained this type of aircraft for JAL, will be forced to close down and dismiss all its 150 workers by the end of March.
“As a parent company, JAL should fulfill its responsibility to offer new jobs to the subsidiary company workers,” said Kokuta.
Until their retirement in 2012, the 12 airplanes must receive a thorough maintenance at least 10 times as required by law. Vice Transport Minister Mitsui Wakio stated that the MD-90s maintenance will be taken over by JAL Engineering, another subsidiary of the major carrier.
JAL Engineering, however, has conducted the maintenance of MD-90s only once a year with the help of Nitto, according to Kokuta. “Not only that, this company is also carrying out a massive dismissal. Some workers there said that they lack both the technology and the labor force to fully take over the maintenance work,” he stressed.
Transport Minister Ohata Akihiro promised that the government will hold an on-site inspection of the JAL-affiliated company.
Grand crews
Kokuta introduced the latest report made by JAL Ground Service, another JAL subsidiary, on the number of accidents it recently experienced in its ground-handling services, such as instances of failure to latch containers before loading onto planes, a runaway dolly, and damage on a passenger boarding bridge.
The JCP lawmaker revealed that this particular JAL-related firm also plans to carry out a major downsizing scheme of cutting more than 2,000 workers (one third of its workforce) within the year.
Cabin attendants working at boarding gates
In the name of cost reduction, JAL has cut the number of its subsidiary employees working at boarding gates and assigned cabin attendants to work on the ground to fill their positions.
This makes it difficult for cabin attendants to fulfill their primary task to maintain flight safety, including checking emergency equipment and identifying suspicious persons or objects. Being assigned to do ground work before boarding, they do not have enough time to fully familiarize themselves with conditions onboard and properly readying for takeoff.
Meanwhile, because of the shortage of manpower at boarding gates, JAL has even had a case of a passenger boarding the wrong plane.
“The radical reduction in workforce in every corner of the aviation business has caused grave situations that threaten flight safety,” Kokuta stressed. He demanded that the government immediately conduct investigations on the JAL-affiliated companies.
* * *
Transport Minister Ohata Akihiro on February 18 called Japan Airlines President Onishi Masaru to the ministry and urged him to carry out an in-house investigation and report the findings to the government regarding concerns over the company’s safety operations. He also told Onishi that the ministry will hold an on-site investigation on this matter.
The minister made this request in response to questions raised at Diet discussions by JCP Chair Shii Kazuo and Lower House member Kokuta Keiji, who claimed that the airline’s massive dismissal scheme is threatening its flight safety.
Minister Ohata stressed that securing safety must come first in the corporate reconstruction plan. President Onishi answered, “Safety is our foundation as well as our social responsibility.”
