Japan Press Weekly

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2016 January 6 - 12 [LABOR]

Metropolitan labor authorities order company to negotiate with union

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Labor Relations Commission on January 6 ordered a honey company to sit down at the bargaining table with a labor union.

Kato brothers honey co. is Japan’s leading honey supplier and is based in Tokyo’s Taito Ward. Over the past several years, the company has refused negotiations in regard to the union’s demand for better working conditions.

The union, which is affiliated with Zenroren/National Union of General Workers (Zenkoku-Ippan), filed a complaint against the company with the Tokyo labor relations commission in December 2012.

In August 2014, the supplier unilaterally demoted three union members in retaliation. The three filed a lawsuit demanding the cancellation of the punishment imposed on them. On the grounds that the union members took the case to court, the company turned its back on not only talks with the union but also a summons to appear before the commission.

The labor commission’s latest order notes that the firm should not reject negotiations with the union because of the lawsuit and it has an obligation to sincerely explain to the plaintiffs why they were demoted. The directive also points out that it is clear that the company punished the three employees with the aim of weakening the union, which constitutes an unfair labor practice banned by the Labor Union Law.