August 4, 2011
Tokyo’s Labor Relations Commission on August 3 acknowledged that interference of a Japan Airlines’ trustee with JAL unions’ vote on whether to go on a strike is an unfair labor practice.
The labor authority’s decision will likely affect the outcome of a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court over the withdrawal of dismissals of 148 JAL pilots and CAs.
The Labor Relations Commission argued that JAL is to blame for the unfair labor practice as it took over the trustee’s management right and labor contract with JAL workers. The Commission also ordered the company to apologize for its misdeed.
Last November, the JAL Flight Crew Union and the JAL Cabin Crew Union (CCU) were voting on whether to exercise their right to strike to demand that the company retract the dismissals of the ex-JAL crew. An executive of JAL’s trustee, the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan (ETIC), warned that the trustee “would no longer fund JAL” if the union decided a strike. Arguing that this is intervention in union activities guaranteed by the Constitution, the two unions filed for redress.
The Tokyo Metropolitan labor authority ruled that the ETIC official intimidated the union members and disturbed the union steering process.
Ogawa Kazuhiro, president of the JAL Flight Crew Union, said at a press conference after the authority’s decision, “JAL should take the ruling seriously and comply with the order. JAL should also settle the lawsuit over its unfair dismissals.”
CCU President Uchida Taeko said, “It’s not allowed for any air carrier to commit an illegal act. We will continue pressing JAL to reverse the dismissals.”
The labor authority’s decision will likely affect the outcome of a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court over the withdrawal of dismissals of 148 JAL pilots and CAs.
The Labor Relations Commission argued that JAL is to blame for the unfair labor practice as it took over the trustee’s management right and labor contract with JAL workers. The Commission also ordered the company to apologize for its misdeed.
Last November, the JAL Flight Crew Union and the JAL Cabin Crew Union (CCU) were voting on whether to exercise their right to strike to demand that the company retract the dismissals of the ex-JAL crew. An executive of JAL’s trustee, the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan (ETIC), warned that the trustee “would no longer fund JAL” if the union decided a strike. Arguing that this is intervention in union activities guaranteed by the Constitution, the two unions filed for redress.
The Tokyo Metropolitan labor authority ruled that the ETIC official intimidated the union members and disturbed the union steering process.
Ogawa Kazuhiro, president of the JAL Flight Crew Union, said at a press conference after the authority’s decision, “JAL should take the ruling seriously and comply with the order. JAL should also settle the lawsuit over its unfair dismissals.”
CCU President Uchida Taeko said, “It’s not allowed for any air carrier to commit an illegal act. We will continue pressing JAL to reverse the dismissals.”
