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2012 September 12 - 18 [LABOR]

Labor commission orders NTT West to retract transfer of union official

The Fukuoka Prefectural Labor Relations Commission on September 3 ordered NTT West to withdraw its distant transfer order imposed on a union official who led in the union’s collective bargaining efforts.

Ozono Tadao, 51, was ordered by the company to transfer from Fukuoka to Hyogo Prefecture on July 25, 2011. It was right after he was elected earlier that month as the vice chair of the Tele-Communication Workers’ Union (TCWU) Fukuoka branch, who was in position to negotiate with the company’s management to hold collective bargaining sessions.

Last October, the TCWU Fukuoka branch filed its complaint at the local Labor Relations Commission, arguing that by transferring Ozono the company clearly attempted to disrupt the collective bargaining process and destroy the union in violation of the labor union law.

At that time, NTT Group carried out a restructuring scheme to cut 110,000 jobs. It forced workers aged 50 and older to retire and rehired them at reduced wages and transferred those who refused to accept the early retirement plan to different jobs or distant offices.

In lawsuits filed throughout the country by union members who were forced to work at distant locations, courts have repeatedly recognized NTT’s transfer orders as an illegal labor practice.

While NTT abolished the 50-year-old retirement scheme, it plans to start the next fiscal year by cutting the wages of employees who are 30 years old and older.

Due to Ozono’s transfer, his union has not been able to hold collective bargaining sessions with the company on this issue.