May 30, 2012
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2012 May 30 - June 5 [LABOR]
Local residents stand up for former Isuzu contingent workers |
“It is significant that we take a stand and support the battle which represents the voices of 18 million non-regular workers,” said Omori Hiromi, one of initiators of the organization and former Japanese Communist Party assemblyman in Tochigi’s Ohira Town which merged into Tochigi City two years ago.
Isuzu Motors Limited, between the end of 2008 and April 2009, dismissed all 1,400 temporary and fixed-term contract workers at its Tochigi plant and Kanagawa’s Fujisawa plant. Of them, 12 laid-off workers joined the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) and filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court demanding the retraction of their dismissals. In April 2012, the court rejected their demands. Ten out of the 12 plaintiffs carried their appeal to the higher court.
The organization will financially assist the workers’ struggle and work to raise public awareness of the labor struggle.
The organization on May 27 held a rally in Tochigi City with more than 50 participants.
In the rally, professor emeritus at Utsunomiya University Kitajima Shigeru asked the participants for their help by stating, “The Isuzu contingent workers’ lawsuit is a historical battle which could be a first step to reduce Japan’s poverty rate.”
Two elderly women came to the rally in response to their neighbor’s call to action. One of them said, “We didn’t know about the Isuzu workers’ fight. It was revealing hearing from the plaintiffs.”
The organization consisted of 40 members before the rally and added another 21 people on the day of the rally.
Plaintiff Sudo Kiyoshi said, “The support of many Tochigi citizens is very encouraging. We will do our utmost to achieve our demands by overcoming the first court’s unfair ruling.”
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