June 27, 2013
The Sony workers’ union Sendai branch on June 21 filed a complaint with the Miyagi Prefecture Labor Relations Commission, demanding that Sony stop forcing a worker to go to a distant office as a measure to pressure the worker into accepting early retirement.
A 57-year-old woman employee, also a union member, at Sony’s Sendai Technology Center in Tagajo City, who had kept refusing to accept the company’s early retirement offer, was ordered to temporarily transfer to the Sony’s subsidiary company’s Toyosato Site in Tome City from July 1. An employer is supposed to obtain its employee’s consent when it relocates the employee to another work place. The Toyosato Site is around 60 kilometers away from the Tagajo office.
The worker said, “I have to drive at least one hour and a half to get to the Toyosato Site. If it snows and the road is covered in winter, it will take even longer to get there.”
The company is ordering the union member to work a double-shift system. When working the day shift, she would have to leave for her new workplace at 5:30 a.m. and would return home around 10:00 p.m. When on the night shift, she would depart from home 5:30 p.m. and get home at 10:00 a.m. After working 12 hours and being exhausted, the worker would have to endure a long drive home.
She said that no matter which way she chooses, driving more than three hours every day just to go to work or living apart from her family for the sake of her job, her family life will be severely affected.
The Sony workers’ union in its complaint demanded that the forcible relocation of the worker be canceled and the employer not negotiate with individual union members when a collective negotiation is underway as this is deemed an unfair labor practice.
Related past articles
> Sony workers in ‘downsizing room’ attain job assignment [April 14, 2013]
> Sony workers urge labor ministry to relieve them from company’s cruel retirement scheme [February 8, 2013]
> Sony dismisses many disaster-hit workers, while discussing restoration [June 16, 2011]
A 57-year-old woman employee, also a union member, at Sony’s Sendai Technology Center in Tagajo City, who had kept refusing to accept the company’s early retirement offer, was ordered to temporarily transfer to the Sony’s subsidiary company’s Toyosato Site in Tome City from July 1. An employer is supposed to obtain its employee’s consent when it relocates the employee to another work place. The Toyosato Site is around 60 kilometers away from the Tagajo office.
The worker said, “I have to drive at least one hour and a half to get to the Toyosato Site. If it snows and the road is covered in winter, it will take even longer to get there.”
The company is ordering the union member to work a double-shift system. When working the day shift, she would have to leave for her new workplace at 5:30 a.m. and would return home around 10:00 p.m. When on the night shift, she would depart from home 5:30 p.m. and get home at 10:00 a.m. After working 12 hours and being exhausted, the worker would have to endure a long drive home.
She said that no matter which way she chooses, driving more than three hours every day just to go to work or living apart from her family for the sake of her job, her family life will be severely affected.
The Sony workers’ union in its complaint demanded that the forcible relocation of the worker be canceled and the employer not negotiate with individual union members when a collective negotiation is underway as this is deemed an unfair labor practice.
Related past articles
> Sony workers in ‘downsizing room’ attain job assignment [April 14, 2013]
> Sony workers urge labor ministry to relieve them from company’s cruel retirement scheme [February 8, 2013]
> Sony dismisses many disaster-hit workers, while discussing restoration [June 16, 2011]
