Japan Press Weekly

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2012 June 27 - July 3 [LABOR]

ILO requests gov’t to encourage JAL to negotiate with unions

The International Labor Organization recommended that the Japanese government encourage Japan Airlines to negotiate with unions of pilots and cabin attendants over its massive dismissal of JAL personnel, the unions on June 28 announced.

The recommendation was issued on June 15 by the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association in response to a complaint from the Japan Airlines Flight Crew Union (JFU) and the Japan Airlines Cabin Crew Union (CCU) regarding 148 workers’ dismissals.

The two unions claim that JAL’s massive dismissal was a clear case of discrimination against them. They also claim that JAL violates ILO Conventions because it refused to take measures to avoid firing workers, intervened in the two unions’ strike voting procedure, and kicked many officials of JFU and CCU out of the company.

The recommendation called on the Japanese government to “ensure that during the process of workforce reduction, measures are taken in consultation with the parties concerned, for the functioning of the union and the continuing representation of the workers.”

In light of the recommendation, JAL’s dismissal of union officials was clearly unfair. Dismissed union officials include chairs of three labor organizations in the aviation industry such as the Japan Federation of Aviation Workers’ Union as well as CCU chair and vice chair.

The recommendation also stressed “the importance of engaging in full and frank consultation with trade unions when elaborating restructuring programmes, since they have a fundamental role to play in ensuring that programmes of this nature have the least possible negative impact on workers.”