Cram school teachers get reinstated at Ichishin School

Members of the National Union of General Workers at Tokyo Tobu won the long struggle, which was filed in 2013 when teachers at the Ishishin cram school joined the union to fight against unfair layoffs. The school settled out of court and the union branch general secretary and a member were reinstated after they were unfairly dismissed late February 2014 and the president and another member were terminated late February 2015. This settlement brought all the terminated union members back to school. In the settlement, the school stated that it retracts its intentions to terminate the contracts of the union members. A vice president of the union branch who received a dismissal notice from the school late February was also able to annul the notice. The company was to also compensate back pay for all the members reinstated and the monetary settlement. This is a landmark victory for the union! (By SUGANO Ari, Tokyo Tobu) 
See photo=Ichishin school branch members express gratitude for winning the high court ruling last December.

学習塾講師たちの「雇い止め」を撤回させる！～市進 争議が全面勝利解決

 

組 合結成直後の２０１３年以来、連続的な不当雇い止め解雇撤回を求めて闘ってきた東部労組市進支部の争議が全面勝利解決しました。 和解の内容は組合の全面勝 利です。２０１４年２月末日をもって雇い止め解雇された市進支部安田書記長・土田組合員、翌２０１５年２月末日に雇い止め解雇となった並木委員長・大原副 委員長への雇い止め解雇は撤回されました。これにより、不当にも雇い止め解雇となった全員が解雇撤回をかちとりました。和解合意 書中には「会社は（各組合 員との）雇用関係を終了させる（雇止めする）旨の意思表示を撤回する」旨が明記されています。また、今年２月末日で雇い止め解雇の通告を受けていた小宮副 委員長についても解決となりました。雇い止め解雇撤回にともない、各自へのバックペイ（賃金の遡及払い）も含めた解決金を会社が 支払うこととなります。ま た、並木委員長が近々に職場復帰します。まさに組合の全面勝利です！（東京東部労組・菅野存） 報告　＊ 写真＝昨年12月、高裁勝利判決を喜ぶ市進支部

We are glad to form a union!〜Filipino workers at Toshiba plant win demands

Filipino workers at Toshiba plant in Tokyo’s Fuchu City formed a union after their employer Nakamura Paint, which painted elevators for Toshiba, announced dismissal due to the plant closure as of March 31. The company lost in a bid for Toshiba Elevator’s outsourced work. The workers decided to join the Fuchu Emergency Hakenmura Union and established a branch, Kabisigi (“solidarity” in Tagalog). The members made an appeal in front of the company on March 16, raising a flag of Kabisigi high. The company agreed to a collective bargaining on March 25, when each union member told the company their sincere thoughts. In the end, the two parties agreed to a monetary settlement and the company was to issue a thank-you note to each member. A party to celebrate the victory was held on May 22. (By KAWANA Norio, Fuchu Kinkyu Hakenmura Union)
 See photo=Celebration party on May 22

組合つくってよかった！～東芝府中工場フィリピン労働者が勝利

　東芝府中工場のエレベーター塗装職場で働いていたフィリピン労働者は、雇用主（株）中村塗装店から「昨年末に東芝エレベーターから 競争入札の結果請負契約を 解除されたため、本年3月31日付けで東芝府中工場内の中村塗装店の事業所を閉鎖するので雇い止めする」こ とを通告された。彼らは府中緊急派遣村労働組合 に相談し、組合に加入して闘うことを決意し、１０名でKABISIGI（カビシギ・団結の意味）分会を結成した。3月16日夕方退社時に彼 らは、東芝府中 工場南門でカビシギの旗を高々と掲げ、退社する労働者に彼らの要求を訴えた。3月25日中村塗装店との 団体交渉が行われ、1人1人 が切々と思いを訴えた。 その結果、カビシギは会社提案をベースに金銭解決に合意し、また会社は彼ら一人一人に感謝状を出すことを認めた。5月22日（日）府中の森 公園で、カビシ ギ祝勝パーティーが開かれた。（府中緊急派遣村労働組合　川名法男） 報告　＊ 写真＝祝勝パーティ（5/22）

Opposition parties unite to raise minimum wage, improve casual workers livelihood

 A rally was held on May 17 in Tokyo to demand an immediate nationwide minimum wage hike to 1,000 yen in an aim to raise it to 1,500 yen. Some 75 people, mainly bi-partisan unionists, came to hear the minimum wage workers and politicians speak.

“Prime Minister Abe is saying the minimum wage will be raised based on the profit’s trickle-down as long as there is economic growth, but this is not going to work,” Japan Communist Party Secretary General KOIKE Akira said. “Raising the bottom will lead to improving livelihood and living standards. In the 26 districts, opposition parties are forming joint struggle toward the upper house election in summer, but we need to join hands to materialize this policy.” Besides JCP, politicians from the Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party of Japan, the People’s Life Party participated in the rally.

Low-wage workers from care-giving sector, convenience stores, postal services and station vendors also spoke of their work and hardships. “I’m always worried about money,” “Just paying rent is hard enough, but I also have to pay two-year lease renewal fee. I need to do something about this.” (By M)
 See photo=Opposition parties join hands.

非正規の生活ボトムアップへ！～最賃 引き上げも「野党は共闘」
5月17日昼、「最低賃金をいますぐどこでも時 給1000 円に！ 時給1500円 をめざす院内集会」が衆院議員会館で開催され た。労働組合の潮流をこえて75人 が集まった。政党では、民進・ 共産・社民・生活の野党議員が勢揃いした。共産党小池書記局長 は「安倍が言っている最賃引き上げは成長ありきのトリクルダウ ン方式。これではダメだ。下からの底上げが経済活性化と生活改 善につながる。参院選ではすでに26区で野党共闘が進んでいる が、この経済課題でも政策合意を実現したい」と述べた。集会で は、介護・コンビニ・郵便・メトロ売店で、最賃ぎりぎりで働く 労働者が、職場や生活実態を証言した。「いつも金の心配ばか り」「家賃だけでも大変なのに2年毎の更新料が恐怖。何とかして ほしい」と悲痛な叫びだった。（M） ＊ 写真＝手をつなぐ 野党議員