Japan Press Weekly

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2016 November 30 - December 6 [LABOR]

Unionized taxi drivers win withdrawal of their unfair dismissals

In a lawsuit filed by three unionized taxi drivers over their unfair dismissals, the Toyama District Court on November 30 issued a ruling ordering a company to withdraw the dismissals of the three workers and pay them a total of about 15.6 million yen in back wages.

The plaintiffs, Matsuura Hideo, Ogiwara Nobuyuki, and Ishida Kazuo, are members of the All Japan Construction, Transport, and General Workers’ Union (CGT, Kenkoro) which is affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren). They worked at the Toyama-based taxi company, Jonan Kotsu.

In early 2015, when Matsuura and Ogiwara were each involved in traffic accidents while on duty, the company deducted repair costs from their wages without their consent. The two workers visited a local labor law enforcement office to seek its instruction as they regard the company’s act as a violation of the labor law. However, shortly after their visit, the company unilaterally dismissed Matsuura and Ogiwara. Furthermore, it discharged Ishida who sided with the two.

The three workers in May formed a Kenkoro branch in the company and demanded collective negotiations. Three months later, they began their court battle against Jonan Kotsu after the company’s rejection of their demand.

In the ruling, a presiding judge pointed out that the three workers’ dismissal just after their visit to the labor inspection office suggested that the company discharged them as a retaliatory measure, recognizing the company’s act as unreasonable.

Kenkoro and the workers’ supporters are demanding that the company reinstate the three back to their workplace and pay the unpaid wages without delay, in addition to issuing an apology to them.