December 12, 2015
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2015 December 9 - 15 TOP3 [LABOR]
Union efforts push Hitachi to retract its ‘banishment room’ dismissal tactic |
Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd. located in Tokyo’s Tachikawa City in March 2013 implemented downsizing measures to halve its workforce by such means as pressuring workers to accept forcible early retirement. Workers who refused to accept the company’s early retirement offer received an order to stand by at home and various discriminatory treatments.
At the end of 2014, the company introduced another harsh restructuring program, the so-called “isolation room” tactic. Under this program, ever day after arriving at the company, targeted workers were ordered to make a “business trip” to an outplacement company, Pasona, which is also located in the same city, and search for another job. Hitachi workers called Pasona the “banishment room”.
Aiming to fight back against the cruel restructuring practice, in January 2015, they formed a local of the Denki-Joho Union which organizes individual workers in the electronics and information sectors. The Denki-Joho Union branch began taking various actions such as collective bargaining, petitioning to the relevant ministry, and street campaigning, to increase public support for their call for the withdrawal of the so-called “isolation room” tactic.
Denki-Joho Union Chair Maita Tokuji said, “Hitachi workers’ struggle and the increase in public support for them have led to the company’s decision to stop using this tactic.” He went on to say, “We will continue working together with the general public to protect workers’ right to work and other human rights, and create freedom-centric workplaces. With this effort, we will put an end to Hitachi’s arbitrary downsizing scheme.”
Past related article:
> Hitachi workers form union to resist company’s downsizing measures [January 12, 2015]
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