September 25, 2013
Seeking a withdrawal of a major coffee shop chain’s decision to no longer renew her contract, a 29-year-old part-time worker has launched a court struggle in Tokyo.
The following is an excerpt of a statement the plaintiff made at the first court hearing on September 20:
I started working at a “Caffee Veloce” shop in Chiba City when it was opened in 2003. While my hourly wage was 840 yen, I was assigned the following year almost the same job as a shop manager.
The job assignment required holding huge responsibilities, such as managing sales and shifts, training new colleagues, checking stocks and orders, responding to customers’ complaints, and managing security.
Since shop managers are switched every one or two years, veteran staff members like me needed to explain in detail to new managers about how to operate our shop.
Feeling attached to the coffee shop I worked for since its opening and trying to make it a better place for our customers, I worked very hard. I wanted our customers to feel more comfortable at our shop than at other cafes.
In March 2012, a shop manager told me all of the sudden that the company will not renew my contract in March the following year. Having my three-month contract renewed more than 30 times, I had nearly 9 years of service to the shop. It was so disappointing to realize that the company would fire a dedicated employee without giving any reasonable explanation.
One of the reasons why I decided to file this lawsuit was the word “freshness” the management used to explain my dismissal. He shamelessly told me that younger women are “fresher” and that having workers like them at the shop “will bring more male customers.”
I was deeply hurt to be told that the company no longer needs me because I am no longer “fresh”. The remark dismissed my value as a woman and human being. I cannot allow that.
Past related article:
> Young part-time worker sues coffee shop chain for refusal to renew contract (July 24, 2013)
The following is an excerpt of a statement the plaintiff made at the first court hearing on September 20:
I started working at a “Caffee Veloce” shop in Chiba City when it was opened in 2003. While my hourly wage was 840 yen, I was assigned the following year almost the same job as a shop manager.
The job assignment required holding huge responsibilities, such as managing sales and shifts, training new colleagues, checking stocks and orders, responding to customers’ complaints, and managing security.
Since shop managers are switched every one or two years, veteran staff members like me needed to explain in detail to new managers about how to operate our shop.
Feeling attached to the coffee shop I worked for since its opening and trying to make it a better place for our customers, I worked very hard. I wanted our customers to feel more comfortable at our shop than at other cafes.
In March 2012, a shop manager told me all of the sudden that the company will not renew my contract in March the following year. Having my three-month contract renewed more than 30 times, I had nearly 9 years of service to the shop. It was so disappointing to realize that the company would fire a dedicated employee without giving any reasonable explanation.
One of the reasons why I decided to file this lawsuit was the word “freshness” the management used to explain my dismissal. He shamelessly told me that younger women are “fresher” and that having workers like them at the shop “will bring more male customers.”
I was deeply hurt to be told that the company no longer needs me because I am no longer “fresh”. The remark dismissed my value as a woman and human being. I cannot allow that.
Past related article:
> Young part-time worker sues coffee shop chain for refusal to renew contract (July 24, 2013)
