Five Non-regular Canon Workers File a Legal Battle to Become Regular Workers

On June 3, five non-regular Canon workers filed a lawsuit against Canon Inc. at the Tokyo District Court in a bid to become recognised as regular employees at the company (see photo). From 2000 onwards, the company has kept changing the employment status of these employees from subcontracts to temporary contracts, and then fixed-term contracts. Despite the employees receiving instructions from hiring the dispatching company, they were doing the same kind of work as permanent employees. One of the plaintiffs Mr. Oono thought that ordinarily he should have been made permanent and wondered why his hirer was different from his other workmates. It made him feel contradictory and strange about the situation. Even though his feelings were mixed about his situation - unclear as to whether to feel sad or angry - he decided to continue to fight until his status as a permanent employee is recognised. (Written by Chie Matsumoto) Photo taken by Tsutomu Yoshioka.


キヤノン非正規労働者5名が正社員化もとめ提訴
　キヤノン非正規労働者組合宇都宮支部メンバー5名は6月3日、正社員としての地位確認を求め、東京地方裁判所にてキヤノン株式会社を提訴した（写真）。2000年から被告は、原告らの契約を請負労働者から派遣へ、そして請負からさらに期間従業員として、二転三転させてきた。しかしその中で原告ら5名は、正社員と区別のない働き方をし、指揮命令も派遣先会社（キヤノン）から受けている業務形態だった。原告の大野氏は、毎朝キヤノンに出社する何百人という同僚を横目に、「自分も従業員であるはずなのに、なぜ働く先が違うのか」という「矛盾と変な感覚」を覚えるという。「怒りか悲しさなのかわからない」複雑な気持ちを抱えながら、それでも「正社員の資格を勝ち取るまで闘い続ける」と決意を新たにした。（松元千枝） 写真（吉岡力）