Japan Press Weekly

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2008 April 2 - 8 [LABOR]

Childcare center non-full-time staff reinstated

Four childcare center workers in Tokyo have been reinstated to their respective workplaces after winning an out-of-court settlement in a lawsuit over their dismissals.

They were non-full-time staff at public childcare centers in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward and were dismissed after the municipality announced in 2003 that two of its childcare centers would come under a private sector company’s management.

The four plaintiffs, who are members of the Tokyo Municipal Non-regular Workers’ Union, filed the lawsuit following their dismissals in 2004.

In the settlement, Nakano Ward offered the union an apology and promised to sincerely negotiate the terms of employment with the union.

It is very rare for a municipality to reinstate non-full-time workers to the workplace after dismissing them. This case will encourage many contingent workers who have been denied a renewal of their contracts.
- Akahata, April 4, 2008