Japan Press Weekly

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2021 September 22 - 28 [LABOR]

Electronics and information workers talk about importance of union’s role

Workers in the electronics and information industries in a virtual rally on September 19 talked about their various experiences in resisting human rights abuses and unfair labor practices which often take place in the form of power harassment and forcible retirement.

The rally was hosted by the Denki-Joho Union which organizes individual workers in the electronics and information industries.

A male worker at a Mitsubishi Electric Nagoya factory reported, “In reaction to my boss having cozy ties with suppliers, I received various forms of power harassment from the boss, such as my isolation from co-workers. So, I joined the union and won my boss’s transfer to other section through collective bargaining negotiations.”

A woman worker at a NEC subsidiary talked about her experience of protesting against the company’s forcible retirement attempt. She said, “After the coronavirus outbreak, I was not allowed to work from home and instead forced to go on furlough. However, with help from the Denki-Joho Union, I succeeded in returning to work.”

A male Hitachi subsidiary worker also conveyed his experience of surviving the company’s downsizing scheme with help from the union. He said, “The Hitachi subsidiary, under a plan to sell part of its business to Fujifilm Corporation, pushed forward with its job-cut scheme. However, by joining the union, I was able to keep my job.”

Unionized senior workers at Fujitsu and Panasonic, who were reemployed at reduced wages and benefits after reaching the age of mandatory retirement, reported on their fight for better wages.