Japan Press Weekly

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2008 January 23 - 29 [LABOR]

Zenroren proposes drastic revision of Worker Dispatch Law

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) on January 25 published an outline of provisions that should be included in a revised Worker Dispatch Law, the aim being to improve the law to give temporary workers protection against abuses.

The current Worker Dispatch Law is only aimed at ensuring the ‘appropriate operations’ of staffing agencies. Zenroren is calling for the law to be amended to impose stricter regulation on staffing agencies and companies that use temporary workers.

Zenroren proposes:
-- The use of temporary workers should be permitted only for temporary and general work and that such workers should be treated as employees of staffing agencies. The law in principle prohibits staffing agencies from sending workers who have signed up for jobs to places of work and outlaws the use of day laborers.
-- The duration of the use of temporary workers should not be longer than a year and that after a year, the companies are required to hire them as full-time workers.
-- Companies must give temporary workers equal treatment based on the principle of equal pay for equal work so that traveling expenses and company recreational facilities should be made available to all workers, including temporary workers.
-- Upper limits will be set on the rate of commissions that staffing agencies receive from companies in order to prevent unfair pay cuts.

In the news conference, Zenroren Secretary General Odagawa Yoshikazu stated, “Most unions are in agreement on the provisions that should be included in a revised law. The revision has received broad public support. We will take advantage of the favorable political situation that emerged following the July 2007 House of Councilors election and increase our cooperation with other organizations in lobbying lawmakers and political parties.”