60 TMPCWA Members Protest in Front of Toyota HQ

A “Rally for Sending the Negotiating Team to Toyota” started at 9 AM of September 15, 2008 in front of its headquarters. President Ed Cubelo and Vice President Wenecito Urgel of the Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Workers Association (TMPCWA), the leaders of the groups to support the struggle in Aichi and Kanagawa Prefectures, and Mr. Wakatsuki Tadao of the All Toyota Labor Union protested Toyota and delivered messages of solidarity with workers. Seven delegates including Secretary General Hayakawa of the All Japan Shipbuilding and Engineering Union (SEU) negotiated with the persons in charge on the Toyota side. How were our demands treated during the negotiation? Mr. Cubelo criticized Toyota’s collusive relationship with the Arroyo administration of the Philippines and appealed that his “life was threatened” by the Philippine Army. Other participants in the rally insisted that Toyota was responsible for anything that would possibly happen to members of the union and demanded the Toyota staffs inform the appeal to their superior while setting rules for confirming that their demands have been passed accordingly. However, the Toyota staffs did not show any sincerity, saying, “We will inform your demands to our boss. Local matters are supposed to be solved locally”.



フィリピントヨタ労組が６０人で直接トヨタ本社に抗議

　15日午前９時から、トヨタ自動車本社前での「交渉団送り出し・本社前集会」が始まり、愛知の会、支援する会（神奈川）各代表、ＴＭＰＣＷＡのエド、ウェニー両氏、若月全トヨタ労組委員長らがトヨタへの抗議、労働者連帯の挨拶を行なった。全造船関東地協・早川事務局長を含む７人の交渉団が本社の担当者と会談した。この間、私たちの申し入れをどのように検討したか。エド委員長からは、トヨタのアロヨ政権癒着、陸軍部隊による“身の危険”が訴えられ、他の参加者からも、トヨタは責任ある立場だ、万が一にも事が起これば、トヨタその責任を負わねばならない。このことを上司にしっかり伝えよ、その確認のルールを決めたい、などを申し入れた。しかし、トヨタ側は「伝える。現地のことは現地で解決」と全く誠意のない態度に終始した。