Japan Press Weekly

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2014 July 23 - 29 [LABOR]

Ex-Mazda temps accept court-mediated settlement

Fifteen former temporary workers in their lawsuit against Japan’s major automaker, Mazda, on July 22 in the Hiroshima High Court reached a court-mediated settlement in which the plaintiffs will receive settlement money but will be unable to go back to their workplace.

The 15 laid-off temps at Mazda’s Hofu factory (Yamaguchi Pref.) on April 30 in 2009 filed a lawsuit with the Yamaguchi District Court, demanding that the company hire them as full-time employees.

On March 13 in 2013, the district court issued a ruling that acknowledges 13 of the 15 ex-Mazda temps as full-time employees based on the recognition of the existence of a labor contract with the automaker. Mazda appealed to a higher court against the ruling.

The high court-mediated settlement covered all the initial 15 plaintiffs.

Welcoming the settlement of the dispute, the plaintiffs and their lawyers in a statement said that the lower court ruling contributed to the court-imposed compromise.

At a gathering held after the settlement, plaintiff Sato Tsugunori expressed his determination to continue to fight for workers’ rights, saying, “The government attempt to relax labor regulations is a tremendous threat to all workers in Japan.”


Past related articles:
> Court acknowledges Mazda’s use of temporary workers as illegal [March 14, 2013]
> Labor bureau instructs Mazda to end illegal use of temporary workers [June 5, 2009]