Japan Press Weekly

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2012 January 11 - 17 [LABOR]

JMIU wins retraction of temporary layoff

Solar Silicon Technology Co. agreed to retract the temporary layoff of 11 members of the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) at a collective bargaining session on January 12.

Union Chair Suwa Mitsuru stated that this is a significant outcome.

Since last year, the union members have been fighting against the arbitrary dismissal which the company carried out right after they formed a JMIU branch in their workshop.

On December 2, the union and the company, an operator of the solar energy generation-related business, reached an agreement that the company will withdraw the dismissal and reinstate the 11 workers to their previous positions.

However, on December 30, the company sent a notification of temporary layoff to the 11 workers and shut down its operations on January 5.

With support from other labor unions and Japanese Communist Party local assembly members, the 11 union members have been working since January 6 and sent a letter of protest to the corporate president.

The JCP Chiba Prefectural Assembly members on January 12 made representations to Prefectural Governor Morita Kensaku, calling on him to instruct the company to retract the temporary layoff and comply with the labor-management agreement reached on December 2.

The company was receiving corporate subsidies from Chiba Prefecture as reward for locating its factory in the prefecture.

One of the union members said, “The JCP has given us strong support and fought with us. It has been a source of encouragement for us.”