No collective bargaining at TEPCO

November 29, 2013

Ex-Fukushima plant worker accuses TEPCO of refusing collective bargaining

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131129p2a00m0na008000c.html

A former worker at the disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant has accused its operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) of unjustly refusing collective bargaining over his dismissal.

The Haken Union, a labor union for temporary and contract workers, filed for support from the Labor Relations Commission of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Nov. 28 on behalf of Tetsuya Hayashi, a 41-year-old resident of Nagano Prefecture who worked at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant as a subcontract worker. The Haken Union accused TEPCO, its prime contractor and other companies of engaging in unfair labor practices by refusing to respond to collective bargaining.

According to the complaint and other sources, Hayashi entered into an employment contract with a fifth-tier subcontractor of TEPCO in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, in June 2012. The company, which handled work at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, initially explained to Hayashi that his work assignments, such as management of work tools, would be risk-free.

However, his job was changed, exposing him to high levels of radiation at the plant. On June 19 that year, Hayashi was forced to engage in removal of glass near nuclear reactor buildings for two hours. He protested over the change, but he was dismissed the following day.

Hayashi joined the Haken Union and called for collective bargaining with TEPCO and four other companies, demanding that his dismissal be retracted. However, all companies but the fifth-tier firm refused to comply with his request.