Japan Press Weekly

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2010 December 22 - 2011 January 4 TOP3 [WELFARE]

What? Auto repair company is running public libraries?

In 2008, the Adachi Ward Office introduced a system to consign the operations of ward-owned libraries and culture halls to designated administrators as part of deregulation and privatization, the so-called “Koizumi regulatory reform”.

A court case over a library has exposed many problems with this system.

In March 2009, the director of Hanahata Library in Adachi Ward was fired by the designated administrator Grandio Service. The director had been promoting special programs for school children to increase interest in reading. However, the company ordered the library to stop this program. When the director objected, Grandio Service told him to not apply for overtime pay if he wants the continuation of the programs. The library head had no choice but to work overtime without pay over the next year and was dismissed at the end of March 2010. The director filed a lawsuit against the company in the Tokyo District Court, claiming that his discharge was based on unfair labor practices.

Grandio Service, originally an automobile repair company, had no staff with librarian certification. The company owner was only concerned to make money from the budget allocated to it by the ward office.

Revealed as a profit hungry company in the lawsuit, the company met with severe criticism from the ward residents. In May 2010, the case was settled in favor of the Hanahata Library director, and Grandio Service retracted his dismissal.

The Library Act stipulates that public library services shall be provided free of charge. It is inappropriate for public libraries to contract with businesses to generate profits.

Grandio Service implemented drastic cuts in library personnel and operating costs in order to save money. Compared to the year 2007 when the ward was still running its libraries, the company succeeded in reducing costs by 320 million yen. At the Hanahata Library alone, 15% of clerical staff and 30% of counter staff lost their jobs. Hourly wages for part-time librarians were decreased by 40% from the year 2007.

The system of deregulation and privatization is decreasing the level and quality of public services and creating a “working poor” in the public sector.