[APWSLMembers 704] Re: Toyota-Related News No.1

[Umesh Upadhyaya]

Dear Colleagues

Congratulations for new progress in Japan. Thank you very much for so
significant information.

With best regards

Umesh Upadhyaya
Deputy Secretary General
GEFONT-Nepal 

-----Original Message-----
From: apwslmembers-bounces at labornetjp.org
[mailto:apwslmembers-bounces at labornetjp.org] On Behalf Of Takahei
Masahito
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 6:31 AM
To: apwslmembers at labornetjp.org
Subject: [APWSLMembers 700] Toyota-Related News No.1

  Dear friends

  Asian Pacific Workers’ Solidarity Link (APWSL) Japan is comprised of
scores of labor unions and individual labor activists. It has regular
meetings in the Tokyo area and Osaka area. A new regional body was set
up in the Aichi area in July 2008.
  Aichi area is in the middle of Japan and is the biggest industrial
area in Japan. The central city, Nagoya has a population of 2.3 million
and the head office of Toyota and the Chubu International Airport are
nearby.
The political, social and regional influence of the Toyota Motor Company
has prominently increased recently. Also, the number of labor disputes
and law suits against Toyota and its parts supply chain has increased.
This is the result of the formation of All Toyota Union (ATU) which is
fighting with the majority company union and of the active citizens’
support action for the ATU. It was these activists involved in the
support action that came together to set up APWSL Aichi.
APWSL Aichi has decided to compile an Email newsletter focused on Toyota
related actions and to send it out internationally. This is the first
issue. 
  APWSL Japan is sending it through the APWSL Mailing List. Please send
your questions and comments to the APWSL Mailing List.

　　　   March 2009  
                                APWSL Japan
　　　　　　　　　　Takahei Masahito <takaheim at jca.apc.org>


    == Toyota-Related News No.1 ==
       (Toyota-Related News From APWSL Aichi)
 
 1) All Toyota Union Does Early Morning Leafleting At Kariya Station　　
   ATU（All Toyota Union）is a labor union that organizes both permanent
and temporary workers and is currently made up of around 20 members from
Toyota Motor and all its related companies.  ATU’s mission is to stand
with workers and negotiate with the employers for a favourable outcome
meeting the workers’ demands.
   On January 26, 2009, we distributed 2,300 leaflets at Kariya station,
a station which is located near many Toyota-affiliated factories. The
leaflets detailed our campaigns such as the 2009 Spring Labor Offensive,
the hotline for labor-related inquiries, and the ATU membership drive.
   The leaflets were placed in pocket-sized packets of tissue paper so
that workers could conveniently take them.

 2) ATUS E-mail Newsletter Issued
　　ATUS is a citizens group supporting ATU. Volume 5 of the ATUS e-mail
newsletter Reimei (Dawn) was released on January 15, 2009, and contains
12 articles concerning Toyota. The newsletter is published on an ad hoc
basis four to fives times a year.
 
 3）Show of solidarity near Toyota Cup Stadium
   Toyota Cup, the international soccer competition, was held at Toyota
Stadium on December 14, 2008. Some 34 Aichi supporters came together in
front of Toyota City station, which is located near the stadium, and
showed their support for the Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation
Workers Association (TMPCWA) by using banners, flags, microphones, and
distributing 2,500 leaflets.
 
 4) The 25th Toyota Symposium 
   On November 30, 2008, 101 people participated in the 25th Toyota
Symposium, which was held in Toyota City, the location of Toyota Motor
headquarters. 
   The themes included the problem of temporary worker layoffs in
Toyota-affiliated companies, and the deteriorating working terms and
conditions accompanied by Toyota’s poor performance. Toyota Motor staff
also spoke up about their experiences and opinions.
 
 5) Meeting Promoting Uchino Trial Ruling
   Some 100 people attended the meeting to promote the ruling of the
Uchino Trial which was held in Nagoya on November 29, 2008.
   On November 30, 2007, plaintiffs won the lawsuit for their claim to
seek recognition of the death from overwork (“karoshi”) of Mr. Kenichi
Uchino, a Toyota Motor employee. The ruling recognized that ‘QC
activities’, usually conducted outside standard working hours and
deemed to be voluntary work, was overtime. The meeting was a fruitful
opportunity for the campaign attempting to promote all industrial
workplaces of the outcome of the ruling, including the nature of work to
prevent death from overwork and the handling of QC and improvement
(‘kaizen’) activities to be within working hours.

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