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2022 September 7 - 13 [LABOR]

District court rules Hirakata City mayor’s move to remove union office from city-owned facility as unfair labor practice

September 8, 2022

The Osaka District Court on September 7 issued a ruling in support of the prefectural labor relations commission ordering the Hirakata City mayor, who belongs to the right-leaning “Osaka Ishin no Kai” party, not to carry out unfair labor practices in regard to the removable of a union office from a city-owned facility.

In August 2015, the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren)-affiliated city workers’ union in its organ paper published articles condemning the national security law (war laws), Prime Minister Abe’s anti-people policies, and the Ishin no Kai’s high-handed style of politics. In reaction, Mayor Fushimi Takashi instructed the union to vacate its office from the city-owned facility because it published political articles contrary to the purposes for which the union is allowed to use a room in the facility as its office.

In October 2020, in response to a complaint filed by the city workers’ union, the Osaka Labor Relations Commission recognized the mayor’s act as an unfair labor practice and ordered him to retract his instructions. Seeking to reverse the labor relations board’s decision, the city government began a court battle.

The district court in its ruling acknowledged that it is acceptable for labor unions to express their political views to some degree.

Following the court ruling, the city workers’ union and its legal team jointly issued a statement demanding that the city mayor take the ruling seriously.