Japan Press Weekly

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2011 January 5 - 11 [LABOR]

NTT employee reinstated to original workplace after 8-year transfer to distant workplace

A 59-year-old NTT employee, who has engaged in a court struggle against the company’s unjust order of transfer, was reinstated to his original workplace in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture as at January 1, after more than 8 years.

It is the first time nationally that a plaintiff fighting in court against an illegal transfer by NTT has been reinstated to the initial workplace.

In 2001, NTT urged its employees to either retire at age 50 or to be rehired at a lower wage. Shigemi Yukiharu, who rejected both options, was transferred to Nagoya City in 2002, and then to Osaka in 2006 as a disciplinary actions by NTT. In October 2002, Shigemi filed a lawsuit with the Matsuyama District Court against NTT over the illegal and unjust nature of the transfers.

The complaint was rejected in the district court, but the Takamatsu High Court in March 2009 judged that the second transfer to Osaka was illegal, resulting in the plaintiff’s victory.

The lawsuit is now going to the Supreme Court, since NTT West Japan has appealed.

Shigemi’s return to Matsuyama will greatly encourage those who are struggling elsewhere against the NTT restructuring program.

Shigemi commented, “I am determined to achieve final victory in the Supreme Court.”