Stop defending corporate profits at the costs of employees' lives -- Akahata editorial, June 30There was a rush of visits to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry web page carrying a check-list for karoshi (death from overwork). This shows that working people fear that they may die from overwork. Callers to the phone counseling on karoshi, including suicide, have stated: "I leave home at 6 a.m. and come home 2 or 3 a.m." "My husband came home in the dead of night for more than 20 days preceding his death, including Saturdays and Sundays." These complaints show that something must be done to stop the corporate practice of forcing workers to risk their health possibly leading to death.
Increased recognition of karoshi cases
In fiscal 2002 (Apr. 2002-Mar. 2003), 160 deaths were recognized as caused by overwork which was 2.8 times the number for FY 2001. In FY 2002, 43 suicides related to overwork, including suicide attempts, took place, which was 1.4 times the number for FY 2001. Though partly affected by relaxed standards of recognition, the data show a sharp increase in the number of suicides and deaths from overwork.
Karoshi has become an internationally recognized Japanese word as it became a major social problem in Japan. Why is karoshi still increasing instead of diminishing? Behind the statistics lies the reality in which workers are forced to shoulder heavier workloads due to corporate restructuring and work extraordinarily long hours of overtime.
In fact, at large corporations with 500 employees and more, the percentage of male employees who work more than 60 hours a week (3,000 hours a year) rose to 21 percent in 2002 from 14 percent in 1994. This means that one out of five workers is within the danger range of karoshi.
Japan lacks laws that regulate the upper limit of overtime hours worked. A special agreement even exists between labor and management allowing overtime work up to 1,000 hours a year. Unpaid overtime is prevalent, which will easily lead to karoshi.
Ongoing corporate restructuring threatens every employee. They are also threatened by the so-called "performance-based rating system" in which workers are paid according to what they achieved. Overwork and stressful work lead to mental fatigue. Cases of mental illness and overwork-related suicides are increasing.
While 3.75 million people are out of jobs, many workers who are fortunate enough to keep their jobs are forced to work more, thus risking death from overwork. This is the worst example of "capitalism without rules".
We cannot overlook the adverse effects the recent revision of the Labor Standards Law is likely to have. The new law enables companies to introduce the discretionary work system (for the planning sector) not only at their headquarters offices but at branches to force workers to work without restrictions regarding hours of work. Business circles are demanding that even white-collar worker be exempted from regulations regarding hours worked.
If such a practice continues to prevail, it will inevitably allow employers to force workers to work without time limits, legalize unpaid overtime work, and invite more deaths from overwork.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has instructed employers to limit overtime work to 45 hours a month in order to prevent death from overwork. It also encouraged workers to use annual paid holidays and urged employers to carry out thorough health care for employees. It is necessary for the ministry to strictly supervise and direct companies on work time based on the ministry instruction.
Even under a voluntary system of work time or the discretionary work system, companies have the responsibility to keep track of their employees' working time and protect their health. This is clearly stated in the Occupational Health and Safety Law in which the maintenance of workers' safety and health shall be the responsibility of companies.
With the possibility of damaging workers' lives and health, placing priority on profits before workers and forcing excessive workloads on them is a criminal act.
Control on excessive workload
It is impermissible for corporate restructuring to take place using unpaid overtime and long working hours. To redress long working hours and establish humane employment conditions are useful to help expand jobs. Unused-paid holidays reach 400 million days a year for the entire workforce of Japan. A rough calculation shows that if all workers used these holidays, it would create 1.48 million more jobs.
It is necessary to make genuine efforts to take measures to regulate the internationally abnormal excessive workloads. (end)