Court rules against Japan Seamen’s Union, dismissal invalid

   Japan Seamen’s Union suspended KISHIMOTO Emi (see photo), who worked for the union for 26 years, in April 2011 for “using a union computer for private purposes” and dismissed her in October. The Tokyo District Court, however, ruled on September 13 that the suspension and dismissal were both invalid and ordered that the union pay compensation. Since 2004, when the union had gone through a fierce power battle within the organization, dismissals, demotions, harassment and other disputes continued. Kishimoto was the third person who won the dismissal lawsuit. The union employees have established a union of their own in April. The union is currently dealing with three lawsuits, one labor tribunal, one case of unfair labor practice. Kishimoto and other union employees issued a statement concerning the change for the Japan Seamen’s Union. (By TAKENAKA Masahiro Photo: Press conference at Maritime Affairs press club.

 海員組合職員・岸本恵美さんの解雇無効判決出る～組合の変革めざして声明
 

2011 年4月、海員組合は勤続26年のベテラン事務職員・岸本恵美さん（写真）を「パソコンの私的利用」を理由に休職処分にし、同10月に解雇した。2013年 9月13日東京地裁は、休職処分と解雇の無効、バックペイ支払を命じる判決を出した。海員組合では2004年に熾烈な権力闘争が発生。以来、解雇・降格・ イヤガラセ配転が続き、現職組合長が前組合長を提訴するなど、組織内で20件近い係争が生じている。裁判で解雇無効になったのは岸本さんで3人目。今年4 月には、組合内に従業員労組も結成された。他にも裁判3件、労働審判1件、不当労働行為審査1件（海員組合が被申立人）が係属中。また岸本恵美さんらは 「全日本海員組合の変革のために」と題する声明を発表した。（竹中正陽） 
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