Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2013 August 28 - September 3 [LABOR]

Labor authority says IBM’s refusal of collective bargaining illegal

The Tokyo Labor Relations Commission on August 28 officially recognized that IBM Japan’s refusal of collective bargaining on its “lockout” dismissal case is an illegal labor practice.

This is the first judgment by a government organization regarding the infamous “lockout” dismissal strategy of IBM Japan. It is expected to have an effect on the ongoing lawsuits that laid-off workers filed against the tech giant.

IBM Japan on September 18-20 last year unilaterally gave workers notices just before the end of their working hours, ordered them to pack their belongings immediately, and locked them out. The workers were forced to choose to either accept dismissal or quit their jobs “voluntarily” within the next two to six days. All of them are members of the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU). This is a typical case of the “lockout” dismissal tactic.

In the wake of this event, the union demanded the company to discuss this issue in a collective bargaining session without delay, but the company refused.

After the labor relations commission’s announcement, the JMIU issued a statement demanding that IBM Japan cancel the dismissals of the union members.

The JMIU is considering filing another complaint with the labor relations commission for an illegal attack on the union, claiming that 26 out of 30 IBM Japan employees who suffered dismissals in the last two years are JMIU members and 10 of them are union officials.

Past related articles:
> Woman in child-rearing year fights against IBM Japan’s ‘lockout dismissal’ [August 10, 2013]
> Another two union members sue IBM for their ‘lockout dismissals’ [June 21, 2013]
> Union worker wages court battle against ‘lockout’ dismissal [June 13, 2013]
> Workers strike against IBM Japan’s ‘lockout’ layoffs [June 4, 2013]
> IBM conducts forcible ‘lockout’ dismissals [October 13, 2012]