Japan Press Weekly

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2015 December 2 - 8 [LABOR]

Zenroren holds day of action seeking early victory for workers in labor disputes

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) on December 3 in Tokyo staged a day of action with the aim of achieving an early victory in labor disputes caused by illegal corporate acts such as unfair dismissals and wage discrimination.

Supporting a struggle by the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) IBM Japan Branch members against the company’s unjust wage cuts and “lock-out” dismissals, 500 union activists hold a rally in front of the IBM Japan head office building.

Just one week before this day of action, it came to light that in a lawsuit filed by JMIU workers demanding the payment of unjustly cut wages, IBM Japan decided to end the court battle by accepting the workers’ claim.

At the rally, JMIU Chair Ikuma Shigemi said, “IBM finally realized that its wage cut policy is illegal. That’s why it made the decision. JMIU will negotiate with the company for decreased wage levels to be restored to former levels and for the cancellation of the wage reduction policy.”

JMIU IBM Japan Branch chair Ooka Yoshihisa criticized the company for infringing on workers’ dignity through its “lock-out” dismissal tactic under which targeted workers are notified of their dismissal just before closing time on the day they are dismissed. He expressed his determination to work hard to win the lawsuit that JMIU members are now fighting to overturn their “lock-out” dismissals.

In front of the headquarters of Japan’s leading semi-conductor maker Renesas Electronics Corporation (former NEC Electronics Corporation), workers assembled to condemn the company’s use of temporary workers as “disguised independent contractors”.

Shibata Katsuyuki, who suffered an arbitrary firing by Renesas after being used as a disguised contract worker, using a microphone said, “When I worked at Renesas, my earnings was half of that of full-time workers. I received no pay raise and no seasonal bonus. However, I was proud that I was working for a top tier manufacturer. Renesus should withdraw my dismissal.”

A similar gathering took place in front of Japan’s major printing company, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. with 115 union activists taking part in order to push the printing company to carry out its responsibility to settle a lawsuit over a disguised employment practice by its subsidiary without delay.

Past related article:
> IBM Japan surrenders in lawsuit over unjust wage cuts [November 28, 2015]