Japan Press Weekly

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2008 February 6 - 12 [LABOR]

Union members urge Canon to fulfill its corporate social responsibility

On the early morning of February 8, about 100 union members converged on Canon Inc. Headquarters in Tokyo to urge the major camera maker to fulfill its corporate social responsibility by increasing wages, promoting temporary workers to full-time positions, and by raising unit prices paid to suppliers.

The action was organized by the People’s Spring Struggle Joint Committee that includes the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren).

Zenroren Secretary General Odagawa Yoshikazu used a microphone to call on Canon workers arriving at the office to together press Canon to give a 10,000 yen wage increase to all its employees by using. 0.6 percent of its internal reserves. “The need now is to increase domestic demand through increasing consumer purchasing power,” he added.

The banner held by participants read, “Return part of Canon’s net profit of 520 billion yen to the workers.”

Participants also delivered handouts calling for “no more social disparities”, “a fair share of corporate profits,” and “an hourly wage increase to at least 1,000 yen.”

Canon’s chairman and CEO Mitarai Fujio is Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) chairman.