Japan Press Weekly

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2011 July 13 - 19 TOP3 [LABOR]

15 young workers at NTT subcontractor win back pay

As a result of collective bargaining negotiations, 15 young workers at a NTT subcontractor in Osaka on July 12 succeeded in receiving leave allowance and wages that the company suspended ostensibly due to the economic impact of the March 11 disaster.

They were employed by a telemarketing firm, one of the subcontractors of NTT West, Japan’s major telecommunication company.

After the tsunami and quake hit the Tohoku region, they were forced to stand by at home for two months without pay or benefits.

The 15 workers joined the Osaka Federation of Trade Unions (Osaka-roren), an affiliate of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), and collectively negotiated with the company to have them pay a total of 3.28 million yen in back pay.

During the negotiations, the company admitted that it took advantage of the disaster to issue the standby order.

One of the 15 workers said, “I have come to realize that unions have power. If more and more workers become aware of the power of unions, no company will be unable to treat their workers unfairly. I want to let more people become aware of that fact.”

An executive of the Osaka-roren’s local union said, “Companies think they can use the disaster as an excuse to do something unjust to their employees. To raise voices against such a thing is important.”