General contractors are frauds! De-contamination workers negotiate with the government for hazard allowance.

“We are workers. Treat us as human beings!” On 28 February, workers wearing yellow bibs who are decontaminating radioactive areas in Fukushima, negotiated with the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare at the Upper House Diet Members Building. De-contamination workers in the evacuation zone, who are subcontracted workers, are entitled to a hazard allowance of 10,000 Yen per day, but have not been paid. The eight workers who participated in the negotiation all demanded the payment of the allowance owed to them. “The Ministry of the Environment says that the Ministry is paying the general construction companies for the allowance, but none of us are getting it. We only get a daily wage of 10,000 Yen. This is nothing but a fraud. Tax money should not be used so haphazardly. The Ministry has the responsibility as the original contractor and should thoroughly investigate the issue.” The staff of the Ministry said “We are giving guidance to general construction companies, but once the contract is concluded we cannot intervene in private business.” The de-contamination workers, organized in a group called the Nation Union of General Workers’ Fukushima Solidarity, protested against the original contractor, Kajima JV and subcontracting company the next day. (M)  

ゼネコンは詐欺師！～除染労働者「危険手当のピンハネやめろ」と政府交渉

「私達は労働者だ！人間として扱え！」黄色いゼッケンがまぶしい。2月28日午後、参院議員会館会議室で、福島の除染労働者が対環境省・厚労省交渉を行った。 警戒区域内の除染作業に対しては危険手当として1人1万円が支給されることになっているが、実際には、末端労働者に渡っていない。この日、参加した除染労働者8人も受けとっておらず、支払いを求めた。「環境省はゼネコンに危険手当を払っているというが、私たちは誰一人受けとっていない。賃金は1万円そこそこにしかならない。これはゼネコンの詐欺ではないか。税金を使う国の事業でそんなデタラメが許されるのか。環境省は発注者責任があり、調査・指導を徹底してほしい」と強く訴えた。担当職員は「ゼネコンには指導している。そのあとの発注は民間同士の取引なので・・」と口をにごした。「ふくしま連帯ユニオン」 に結集する除染労働者らは、1日には元請けの鹿島JVや下請け業者に抗議行動をする。（M）