Japan Press Weekly

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2018 December 19 - 2019 January 8 [LABOR]

Foreign workers’ treatment at Sharp factory violates Worker Dispatch Law: Labor Ministry

Akahata on December 19 learned that the Labor Ministry recognized that it is illegal for Sharp to use foreign workers as temporary workers through temporary staffing agencies without their knowledge and consent.

This was revealed in a written response to questions made by Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira the other day in a hearing to Labor Ministry officials.

In the hearing, regarding the issue of dismissals of foreign workers who were dispatched to Sharp’s Kameyama factory, Koike pointed out that these workers were moved to different dispatching business operators every two months. He urged the ministry officials to conduct a fact-finding survey to rectify the problem. He also asked for the ministry’s view on this matter.

The Labor Ministry in its written response to Koike stated that an act of transmitting foreign workers to another temp agency without their knowledge every two months is penalized under the Employment Security Act.

Furthermore, the ministry stated that it is reported that laid-off foreign workers received no explanation regarding their treatment, working conditions, and dispatching fees when they were hired as dispatched workers. The labor authority went on to state that if it is true, these workers were used in violation of the Worker Dispatch Law and the ministry will take necessary measures.

The Labor Ministry in its written reply explained that if former Sharp foreign workers were assigned to the same job despite a change in their agencies every two months, they should be eligible under the relevant law to ask Sharp for a direct employment and urge their agencies to secure jobs for them.

In response to the ministry saying that investigation into the case is continuing based on the recently revealed information, Koike demanded that the ministry uncover the facts without further delay and take proper measures to deal with the situation.

Past related articles:
> Mass dismissals of foreign workers at Sharp plant is illegal: JCP Koike [December 14, 2018]
> A Sharp factory in Japan fired 3K foreign workers within one year [ December 5, 2018]