June 21, 2013

Another two union members at IBM Japan on June 20 filed a lawsuit demanding withdrawal of their “lockout dismissals” and payment of wages.

The two serve as executive officials of the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) IBM Japan branch.

This is the second lawsuit against the IBM’s “lockout layoffs” following a lawsuit filed in October 2012 by three branch members who were fired or received a dismissal notice.

IBM Japan since last July has cut jobs by using the so-called “lockout dismissal” scheme in which targeted workers are suddenly called out by their boss and kicked out from the company grounds immediately after receiving their dismissal notice.

JMIU said that 23 IBM workers, including 19 JMIU members, have been targeted for dismissal by the company’s job cut strategy.

The company attacks union members because the union criticizes IBM for slashing jobs while earning a profit of 95 billion yen last year, said Koizumi Ryuichi of the JMIU Tokyo prefectural branch.

Related past articles:
> Workers strike against IBM Japan’s ‘lockout’ layoffs [June 4, 2013]
> IBM conducts forcible ‘lockout’ dismissals [October 13, 2012]