Japan Press Weekly

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2013 July 24 - 30 [LABOR]

Sony union workers look to labor tribunal to have their forced transfers voided

Two union workers at Sony’s Sendai Technology Center on July 23 applied for labor tribunal proceedings at the Sendai District Court, seeking to have their forced transfers to a distant location voided.

For a speedier resolution of their dispute, they chose to look to a labor tribunal settlement before filing a regular lawsuit because the labor tribunal system issues a decision within three closed hearings.

Sony in 2010 began pressuring the two R&D workers to accept early retirement in individual meetings and assigned them to a section dubbed the “restructuring room” after they refused to accept early retirement.

Then in November last year, the company resumed individual interviews to again pressure them to take early retirement. The two resisted these pressure tactics and received the order to transfer to a Sony subsidiary located 60km away.

Supreme Court precedents allow employers to issue transfer orders without individual worker’s consent only when work content and work locations remain unchanged.

The Sony workers’ union sought a labor-management settlement mediated by the Miyagi Prefectural Labor Relations Commission last month. The company, however, persisted in its arm-twisting tactics and again ordered the two to work at the distant office.

They were told that the company would cut their salaries by 30% if they refused to show up at the new workplace, forcing them to commute to the remote place to work.

One of the workers complained, “Long commutes are a stress for my family members, too.” He said he wants to go back to his original place of work as soon as possible.

Past related article:
> Relocation of worker to distant office must be cancelled: Sony workers’ union [June 27, 2013]