Contingent workers at Metro Commerce get continued employment after 65

The National Union of General Workers Tokyo Tobu Union Metro Commerce Local sat down with the Metro Commerce management for the 60^th collective bargaining session. The union organizes contingent workers in kiosks in Tokyo metro stations. As a result of the bargaining, the employment of contingent workers over 65 of age will be continued after this May. The planned strike action on April 25^th afternoon was cancelled. We are really grateful for your support. One of the members who got their employment extended, HIKITA Setsuko, was interviewed by NHK. She told the reporter, “Now, I am relieved that I can make my ends meet by doing double-work after this May. I think this is the result of our sit-in action since last year. Thank you for all your support.” (SUDA Mitsuteru, Tokyo Tobu Union)

Photo: Metro Commerce workers talking to NHK reporters

メトロコマースの非正規労 働者～ストを背景に65歳以降の雇用継続実現！

東京メトロ駅売店の非正規労働者らでつくる全国一般東京東部労組メトロコマース支部は4月18日、株式会社メトロコマースとの第60回団体交渉を都内で行いました。その結果、昨年春の闘いで実現した疋田組合員ら非正規労働者の65歳以降の雇用について次年度（今年5月以降）も継続することが決まりました。これに伴い、すでに支援者の方々に部分的に呼びかけていた4月25日午後のストライキ抗議行動は回避します。皆さんのご支援とご注目に心から感謝申し上げます。ありがとうございました！ この一連の動きを追いかけているＮＨＫの取材班に対し、 今回の団交後に疋田組合員は「これでダブルワークで何とか維持している生活を５月以降も続けることができて安心している。昨年の座り込みなどの成果だと思う。ご支援いただいた方々に本当に感謝しています」と話しました。（東部労組・須田光照）
　＊写真＝NHKの取材を受けるメトロレディーたち

A company that educates people dismiss them!—Casual instructors at Ichishin cram school go on strike

 

 

 

 Japanese cram school, Ichishin Gakuin has reduced salary of instructors on limited-term contract, unfairly dismissed two of them and enforced retirement age of 51. Eight workers on limited-term contract went on strike on March 31 in protest of the attack from the school.

 “When my children are entering high school, I get dismissed,” one of the members of Ichishin Branch of National Union of General Workers, Tokyo Tobu, said. “Is it OK for a company that educates people to abandon people unfairly like this?” he expressed anger toward the company on the day of the strike. Although the school agreed to a collective bargaining session with the union and told the members to come this day, the shutter was closed and the staff did not intend to meet. They broke the promise. About 100 members and supporters moved their action to the main headquarters in Ichikawa City and demanded that the company abolish 51 retirement age, reinstate the two dismissed members and discrimination against instructions on limited-term contract. By Chie Matsumoto

 Photo=a union member reads demands to the company representative.

 人を育てる会社が人を切るのか！～市進学院の非正規労働者がストライキ
非 常勤講師の給料削減、不当解雇、５１歳定年制などをはじめ、次々と非正規労働者の労働条件を削減してきた学習塾・市進学院で、３月３１日、全国一般東京東 部労組の市進支部組合員８名がストライキを決行した。「子どもたちが中高に進学する時期に、解雇された」というのは、東部労組市進支部組合員のひとり。 「人を育てる会社が、こんなふうに不当に人を切っていいのか！」と、スト当日、会社に対して怒りをぶつけた。学院は、組合の申し入れに応じるとしておきな がら、当日になって入口のシャッターを閉鎖し、約束を反故にした。市川市にある本社前には、東京東部労組の組合員や支援者ら１００名ほどが集まり、２名の 解雇撤回、５１歳定年制の撤廃や講師の差別をやめるよう求めた。（松元ちえ） 

 　＊写真＝申入書受取りを拒否する職制（右）に抗議の声を上げる

Women vendors on casual contract go on strike

 

The workers on casual contract must retire at 65 --- Workers on lifetime employment can receive severance but those on casual contract don’t even have that or the pension. Why do we need to have a retirement age for limited-term contract workers to begin with? Six women 60 years old and up went on strike on March 18 in demand for abolishing the retirement age system for workers on limited-term contract, or otherwise for payment of severance or a bonus for special service. The women who formed a union four years ago as a local of National Union of General Workers Tokyo Tobu have worked at Tokyo subway vendors on a year contract for Metro Commerce Co., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo Metro. The union has held more than 30 collective bargaining sessions and won 10 Yen raise every year as well as paid leave for the deaths of their families. When the union with elderly members demanded that the company abolish the retirement age, the negotiation stalled. The members decided to take advantage of the right to collective  action and went on strike. （Chie Matsumoto）

Photo=Metro Commerce Union members vow to win this struggle in solidarity.

YouTube 13 minutes

差別・切り捨ては許さない！～メトロ売店・非正規女性労働者がストライキ
有 期雇用も６５歳で定年退職―。正社員には退職金が出るが、有期雇用労働者には、退職金どころか年金さえ出ないことがある。そもそも、有期雇用労働者に定年 制が必要なのか―。「有期雇用の定年制を撤廃するか、正社員なみに退職金や慰労金を支払え」と格差是正を求め、東京の地下鉄売店で働く６０歳以上の非正規 女性労働者たちが、３月１８日、６名でストを決行した。６名は、全国一般東京東部労組で４年前に支部を結成。東京メトロの１００％子会社、東京メトロコ マースで１年契約を更新しつづけて働いてきた労働者たちだ。これまで会社とは３０回ほど団体交渉し、毎年１０円の賃上げや忌引き休暇の有給を勝ち取ってき た。しかし、高齢者ばかりの組合で定年制の撤廃を求めたところ、会社と決裂。組合員たちは団体行動権の行使を決めた。（松元ちえ）
＊写真＝厚労省記者会見のあと「団結ガンバロー」をする組合員（3/18）
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