Osaka Prefectural LRC approves survey on government workers as unfair labor practice

 

 Osaka Prefectural Labor Relations Commission approved on March 25 that the survey conducted by Osaka City last February on all city workers is an unfair labor practice that is prohibited under Japan’s Trade Union Law. The survey was about political and union activities of all city workers. The commission ordered the city government to submit a written oath to the union that it would never take such an action again.

 Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto apologized for what he did. “I will run the city government according to the law,” he said at a press conference after the order was issued. He added that he intended not to file a protest to the decision. However, he changed his attitude in the evening of the same day by saying, “It is wrong for the union to tell me to apologize as though it has won all the games in town without reflecting on what it has done in the past. What we must argue we must argue. Otherwise, the union will get everything it wants.” According to the commission’s ruling, the survey asked whether or not the workers participate in union activities, advantages of being a union member, disadvantages of not being a union member or discontinue membership. The commission said that it made union members feel uneasy and it led non-union members to hesitate to join the union.  By Koichi Yano (Nakama Union Osaka City Workers Branch)

 Photo=Tokyo Shimbun (March 28 issue) that reports on Hashimoto’s survey.

 「職員アンケートは不当労働行為」大阪府労委が認定～橋下市長は命令を受け入れよ
 大阪市が昨年２月に全職員を対象に実施した、「政治・組合活動に関する職員アンケート」は、労働組合法が禁止する 不当労働行為に当たるとして、大阪府労働委員会は３月２５日、「今後はしない」との誓約文を組合側に渡すよう大阪市に対して命令しました。橋下市長はこの 命令を受けて記者団に対して、「大変申し訳ない。法に基づいた行政運営をしていく」と謝罪し、不服申し立てをしない意向を表明しました。しかし、同日夕方 になって一転して、「組合の振る舞いを全部棚に上げて、鬼の首を取ったように謝れというのは違う。争うべきところは争わないと、全部組合の主張が通ってし まう」と態度を一変させました。命令書によると、組合活動の有無や加入のメリット、加入しない（脱退する）デメリットなどをアンケートで尋ねたことについ て、「組合員に動揺を与え、加入していない者にも加入をためらわせかねない」と指摘しています。（なかまユニオン大阪市職員支部長・矢野幸一）
　＊写真＝橋下アンケート問題を報じる「東京新聞」（3/28）