Japan Press Weekly

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2014 July 30 - August 12 [LABOR]

Osaka mayor apologizes to union for his political belief survey

Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru on August 6 handed to the city workers’ union a written apology for conducting a survey of workers’ political thoughts and beliefs two years ago.

Hashimoto in February 2012 ordered all city employees to respond to the survey asking if they have trade union membership or experience in political activities, such as participating in street speech campaigns.

Claiming that the survey infringed on workers’ right to organize and the freedom of thought and beliefs, the city workers’ union waged a legal battle in the local and central labor relations commissions.

In June this year, the Central Labor Relations Commission ruled the Osaka mayor’s survey to be an unfair labor practice because he interfered in union activities. It ordered the mayor to give to the union a pledge to refrain from conducting a similar survey.

The labor relations authority’s ruling was finalized in July after the Osaka City Assembly rejected the mayor’s proposal to take the ruling to court.

Past related articles
> Labor commission’s decision regarding illegality of Osaka political belief survey finalized [July 26, 2014]
> Labor Commission orders Osaka mayor to apologize to union [February 21, 2014]
> Survey on city workers’ political thoughts is unfair labor practice: labor board [March 26, 2013]
> Osaka Mayor Hashimoto conducts survey on municipal workers’ political beliefs [February 14, 2012]