Temporary Workers must be protected -- Akahata editorial, August 20 (excerpts)

There is a move in business circles to lift restrictions on the current temporary staff service system so that registered workers of temporary staff agencies can be assigned to jobs which are now not in service coverage. Temporary workers need protective measures as they have no workers' rights and get lower wages, but the move runs counter to this need.

Since 1999 when the temporary staff service coverage was extended to include construction, security, and transportation in ports and harbors, the number of temporary workers has rapidly increased. It is about 1.39 million, 30 percent more than last year.

Temporary workers have 20 to 40 percent of their wages cut by their agencies, and get about half the wages of regular employees. Their contract term is sometimes two or three months so that their employment and living conditions are unstable. About half of the temporary workers say they work as temps because they cannot find regular jobs.

Three years have passed since the relevant law was adversely revised, and its review is scheduled for this year. The review must be one which will improve working conditions of temporary workers in Japan who get poorer protection compared to temporary workers in EU nations and South Korea. But business circles are pushing forward with an employment strategy that defines only key section staff members as long-term employees with all others classified as part-time, temporary, or contract workers.

Business circles' calls for restrictions to be lifted for the temporary staffing system must not be accepted because such a deregulation will only hold down wages, curtail rights, and make jobs more unstable for all workers, including full-time employees.

The temporary staff service system of Japan should comply with international standards. The service coverage of temporary staff agencies should be restricted and the replacement of regular employees with temporary workers should be banned.

Working conditions of temporary workers should be made equal to those of regular employees of their client companies. Client companies should be obliged to directly hire those temporary workers who meet certain requirements and wish to get employed. (end)