March 28, 2014
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2014 March 26 - April 1 [LABOR]
Major fast-food stores close one after another due to understaffing |
Zensho Holdings Co., Ltd. runs 1,985 fast-food stores, Sukiya, throughout Japan, which is notorious for assigning the smallest possible number of staff at each restaurant.
Many Sukiya workers are complaining that their workplaces are severely understaffed although they need a great deal of time for preparation before serving meals.
Sukiya stores are supposed to be open 24/7, but the lights inside many stores are out now. Twitter users around the nation are posting pictures of the suddenly-closed stores. Some stores have placed a notice at the entrance, reading, “We are closed due to a staff shortage.”
A female Sukiya part-timer just after finishing her nightshift work screamed out, “I worked 24 hours straight!” She told an Akahata reporter that the store where she works now has more customers than before because nearby shops are being closed. She said that a new menu is especially burdensome. “Many part-timers probably quit Sukiya because they can find less demanding jobs for the same hourly wage,” said this worker.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Youth Union demanded that Zensho Holdings increase the number of staff so that everyone can have breaks and an increase in hourly wages. The union is planning to provide free consultations to Sukiya workers regarding involuntary job loss and wage compensation.
Yamada Shingo, secretary general of the union, said, “Only one person works during late-night hours in Sukiya restaurants. So, many workers can’t take a rest break. Even if they are sick, they can’t get a day off. On top of that, the stores are frequently robbed.”
Akahata asked if the one-person work system is related to the string of store closings. A Zensho publicity employee answered, “As to your point, we will deal with it.”
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