Japan Press Weekly

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2020 June 3 - 9 [LABOR]

Non-regular workers account for half of coronavirus-caused dismissals

The results of a survey released on June 2 by the Labor Ministry found that non-regular workers accounted for half of the workers who were dismissed or whose contracts were not renewed due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

According to the survey, out of the 4,811 dismissed workers, non-regular workers accounted for 2,366 or 49% as of May 29.

Also, an Internal Affairs Ministry survey on the April employment situation shows that the number of non-regular workers in the hotel and restaurant service industries decreased by 300,000 from a year earlier, the largest ever drop since the current calculation method was introduced in 2014.

Kurosawa Koichi, deputy secretary general of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), said, "The disposable use of non-regular workers acts as an adjustment valve. This practice should not be left as it is."

Nearly 40% of the working population in Japan are non-regular employees, doing almost the same job as regular workers.

Kurosawa pointed out that discarding experienced non-regular workers due to the economic downturn induced by the coronavirus situation will hamper a sound recovery of businesses.

He said, "The central government should strengthen its support for businesses by providing compensation for their loss of earnings due to suspension of business activities in order to enable them to maintain jobs. It should also improve the Employment Adjustment Subsidy program and provide subsidies without delay."

Past related article:
> Amid coronavirus crisis, number of women non-regular workers decreases by 1 million [May 31, 2020]