Japan Press Weekly

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2015 June 24 - 30 [LABOR]

High court allows Osaka mayor’s removal of Zenroren-affiliated union offices from city hall

The Osaka High Court on June 26 overturned a lower court decision and ordered two Osaka city workers’ unions, members of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), to stop using space in the city office building for their offices.

Before Hashimoto Toru became the Osaka City mayor in November 2011, city workers’ unions regardless of their affiliation, Zenroren or the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), were able to use space in the city hall as union offices with permission from the city. However, since 2012, Mayor Hashimoto has refused to give permission to those unions to use any space.

The two Zenroren-affiliated unions in their court battle argued that although Hashimoto acknowledged the existence of available space in the city office building, he rejected unions’ request for permission based on his hostility to unions and his attempt to interfere in union activities, and that his rejection is illegal.

The high court in its ruling dismissed the unions’ argument.

At a press conference after the ruling, Takemura Hiroko, who heads one of the two unions, said, “It is legal for unions to have offices in the building. We will appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.”

With Hashimoto’s refusal, Rengo-affiliated unions moved their offices to outside the city hall. They also took their case to court. Early this month, the Osaka High Court ordered the city government to pay compensation to them.

Past related article
> Court rules Osaka Mayor’s attack on trade unions illegal [September 11, 2014]
> Labor Commission orders Osaka mayor to apologize to union [February 21, 2014]