Emirates dismisses 3 workers due to closure of branch offices (a news story from Kohkuren, Japan)

July 28, 2016

EmiratesIn January 2013, three employees working at the Emirates’ reservation and ticketing section in Osaka joined the Sky Network (SNW) labor union to tackle such problems as moral harassment and unpaid overtime, and they created certain results.

On May 20, 2014, the company suddenly announced the closure of the ticketing counter in Tokyo and Osaka, the call center in Osaka, and the branch office in Nagoya, and requested a voluntary retirement to employees. Above mentioned employees working at the Osaka call center refused to retire. On June 26, 2014, Emirates ordered them a furlough, and then the company unilaterally sent a notice of dismissal on September 1, 2014.

The SNW immediately filed a complaint with the Osaka Labor Relations Commission against a series of actions of the company as union busting, and they are waiting for a judging of the Commission.

They also filed a suit with the Osaka District Court. The court temporally concluded this as an abuse of the Employment Dismissal Regulations and ordered Emirates to pay certain percentages of the wages until the court’s ruling is given. So they sued Emirates for unfair dismissal and full payment of unpaid wages. Then, the court told both parties to make an out-of-court settlement. What the company presented as terms of a settlement, however, fell far short of an unacceptable level, and the case is under examination in the court.

Kazuya Chikamura, Chairperson of Kohkuren stated: “In Japan, dismissal of workers are stringently restricted by the Labor Standards Law and the Labor Contract Act. As Emirates is operating in Japan, they should abide by Japanese Laws. It is hard to understand what rationale the company has for this dismissal.”

The SNW repeatedly requests the company to conduct a collective bargaining, and the supporters and members of the union have repeated a publicity stunt, and hand out leaflets about unfair labor practice and unfair dismissal on the streets of major cities, Narita International Airport and Kansai International Airport. Please take a look at the flyer above.

Also, these workers are petitioning to get their jobs back. The signatures will be submitted to he Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and the Dubai Tourism Center. In addition, the union is conducting a petition drive seeking for a fair and speedy decision of the competent authorities.

You can sign the petition from here>>

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A group of workers wearing T-shirts with slogans calling for the reinstatement of the three. On the front: To Emirates, Withdraw the unfair dismissal. At the back: this message contents the meaning that Emirate as the global company needs to follow the compliance. Japan has its own law and we are fighting for the employees’ right.

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