Group of workers sue Hikkoshisha, evil mover; more to follow

A group of current and former workers at Hikkoshisha Co., a moving firm based in Nagoya with major subsidiaries in Tokyo and Osaka, filed a lawsuit at Nagoya District Court on July 31, kicking off a series of litigation action against the firm. Hikkoshisha is known for burdening its employees with large costs of reimbursing customers for damaged items and of paying for damage incurred by accidents involving company trucks. As a result, many employees lose much of their wages and some are forced to get loans from the company's mutual fund, the repayment for which will be made by deduction from salaries. Those who know such vicious practice of the mover whose full name translates as 'the moving firm with a logo of ants' sarcastically call it “the ant lion', for the Japanese word for insects' nests is used as a metaphor for an predicament from which one cannot get out. The 12 plaintiffs held a press conference at the courthouse. One current worker filed suit with Tokyo District Court earlier the day and held a press conference at Ministry of Labor and Welfare. 15 other workers will file suit against one of the company's Tokyo-based subsidiary. Another group plans to file suit against the Osaka-based subsidiary by the end of the month.

Precariat Union is calling for support for these workers in their 20s and 30s, rising up against a gigantic evil company. (SHIMIZU Naoko, Precariat Union)

* Photo: a TV news program reporting the lawsuits

「アリ地獄」の引越社 に対して集団提訴～弁償金を取り戻そう！

 「アリ地獄」と揶揄され、労働者に引越荷 物や車両事故の高額な弁償をさせることで知られているアリさんマークの引越社（株式会社引越社＝名古 屋、株式会社引越社関東、株式会社引越社関西の３社）に対する集団訴訟が始まりました。第一陣は、７ 月３１日に名古屋地方裁判所に１２人で提訴し、司法記者クラブで記者会見を行いました。同日、東京で も在職者１人が先行して、東京地裁に提訴し、厚生労働記者クラブで会見。関東も１５人が後に続きます。 関西も８月中に提訴予定です。巨大なブラック企業に対し、勇気を持って立ち上がった２０代、３０代の 社員、元社員の闘いをご支援ください。（プレカリアートユニオン・清水直子）  
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