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Protest Toyota Campaign: Newsletter No. 5

Dear friends,

In this Protest Toyota Campaign No. 5, we would like to carry a letter addressed to TMPCWA sent by the Chairperson of the Isuzu Branch Union of ZEN-ZOSEN (Kanto Regional Council of the Japan All Shipbuilding and Engineering Union), a Japan-based trade union, fighting against the dismissal and the rationalization of the industry. The Isuzu Branch Union and the Yasaka Branch Union, affiliated with the ZEN-ZOSEN are the strongest supporters of the Protest Toyota Campaign. They too have been facing the rationalization by the General Motors and the Isuzu Motors since May 2001, coincidentally when this campaign started. In March 2002, workers at the Yasaka Kenko, a subcontractor of the Isuzu Motors, were suddenly dismissed.

Up to the present, workers fighting against the unfair labor practices both in the Philippines and Japan have been exchange solidarity messages and communication. The workers of the Yasaka Branch Union and the Isuzu Branch Union are being greatly encouraged by TMPCWA.

We would appreciate you if you could forward the newsletter to other people concerned.

Protest Toyota Campaign
Support Groups for TMPCWA
Address : 3-6-901 Oppama Higashimachi, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa, Japan E mail : Protest-Toyota@jca.apc.org


Protest Toyota Campaign
Newsletter No.5
June 14, 2002

Dear friends of TMPCWA,

We are grateful to you for the solidarity message addressed to the members of Isuzu Branch Union and Yasaka Branch Union, affiliated with ZEN-ZOSEN . We will give you full support in order not to isolate your labor union by groping out and deploying a firm protest against the Management's pressure on you of subjecting 25 labor union members to a criminal case. It may be very difficult and for this reason, we, laborers must be united with confidence in each other and make an international labor movement jointly and severally to appeal the Toyota's foul play socially and reproach it internationally. We regard the TMPCWA's struggle with respect. We would like to inform you of our struggle and the present situation, as below.

Isuzu Motor's Restructuring Rationalization Plan

Isuzu Motor Co., where we work, is a manufacturer of diesel trucks and buses with its head office in Tokyo factories in Kawasaki, Tochigi, Fujisawa and Hokkaido, and a workforce of 12,500 employees. After its tie-up with GM in 1971, it continually invested into the field of Passenger and RV (Recreational Vehicle) cars without success in the sales and had to withdraw there from in 1992. GE owns 49% shares of Isuzu since the year of 1999.

Isuzu, resulting from slackening in the management performance, has its interest bearing liabilities approximately over one (1) trillion yen and has been urged by GM to take measures to emerge out of the red quickly. Toward the end of May 2001, it has come up with a rationalization plan=a medium-term management plan so-called "Isuzu V Plan" indicating a direction "To stride for slimming and restoring corporate structure in real value; To aim for establishing a global enterprising system by making the best use of the Isuzu Group's ability and tie-up with the GM" "Isuzu V Plan" calls for, among other things, reducing in the group's total workforce of 38,000 to 13,000 employees (34.5% cut) by the end of March 2004.

Reduction of its affiliated companies by 40%. And Closing down of Kawasaki factory (Manufacturing large sized trucks and engines with 2100 employees plus sub-contracted 26 companies with their approximate 500 employees in the premises)by the yearend of 2005. On the other hand, in accordance with the GM's global strategy, Isuzu has invested in construction of production factories of trucks and buses in Asia such as China, Thailand, etc., also in construction of production factories of diesel engines in Poland (in the year of 1997) and in USA (1998).

Isuzu Motor has been sacrificing the workers.

The Isuzu Motor is trying to pay for their failure in the management at the expense for the workers.

Isuzu Motor's liabilities in excess of assets, amounting to Yen 19.25 billions (the worst 2 of listed companies) being as the actual condition of results, and bearing the excessive deficit and loan, the company has not yet extricated from the weak financial structure and been rated as the business slumped in the Government's synthetic measure to counter deflation, it would be inevitable to be pressed by the financial and other facilities to cope with the situation." was the explanation given by the Management to freeze the wages and hold down the rate of one time allowance as low as 2.8 months in response to the union's 02 Spring Labor Offensive demand for wage hikes lodged on March 15. The Management's immediate representation thereafter was to carry out a wage cut of 7% for the forthcoming one year (estimated to save Yen 3 billions annually), insisting on that with the Isuzu Labor Union $B!J(BConfederation of Japan Automobile Workers Union with the majority !

having already agreed thereon, the Isuzu Branch Union with the few should follow the suit (making an expanded application). The Isuzu Branch Union has been still negotiating, making a protest against it.

With the accounts closing at the end of March, Isuzu has discarded the sub-contractors stationed in the premises one after another. The four members of the Yasaka Branch Union were also suddenly dismissed. Yasaka Kenko Co. (25 employees), one of the sub-contracted companies in the premises, suddenly gave notice on March 29, of discharging all its employees as of March 31, for the reason of the contract with Isuzu expiring on this day. March 29 was being the Inventory day for the end of period, no operational work was scheduled and almost all employees were absent (to consume paid holidays by order) on that day, with the exception of Mr. Shimizu, General Secretary of Yasaka Branch Union, who was present and given the notice all of sudden. Mr. Shimizu rejected it, making a protest to the management "A notice relating to such an important matter cannot be accepted without collective bargaining in advance" and he returned the notice.

To cope with this situation, ZEN-ZOSEN having its emergency meeting, decided to launch out its protesting action and struggle for retaining employment, demanding for collective bargaining with not only the Yasaka Kenko Co. but also the Isuzu Motor Co. itself as the responsible parties for the employment.

Our Struggle

Since the announcement of "Isuzu V Plan", the management became more aggressive to the workers. In reaction to it, the Joint Conference for the Support of Isuzu Workers was organized, consisted of the member organizations of ZEN-ZOSEN, local trade unions and citizens. The Isuzu Branch Union and the Yasaka Branch Union have been continuing the protest actions together with the Joint Conference for the Support of Isuzu Workers. The followings are the outline of our struggle.

1. 2002,February 11

Hanging out a slogan of "Against 2.11 Close-down of Factory! Cancel restructuring rationalization plan of firing 13,000 employees!" we rallied in front of the Kawasaki Factory's gate and filed a protest with the management, and thereafter made a demonstration parade around the factory's circumference, for that as many as 320 people attended and were applauded by the spectators in the area. During the rally, a solidarity message from The Daewoo Motor Workers' Union was read.

2. 2002,March 14

We joined the rally organized by "Kanagawa Spring Labor Offensive One Day Action" and had a rally at the Kawasaki Factory, lodging a protest with the Management, and then joined the protest action being made by Sumitomo Uraga Branch Unions' struggle against the management's rationalization execution, and thereafter made a demonstration rally and parade at the Kawasaki Station's vicinity (500 people attended).

3. 2002, April 11-16

On April 11, a request action was made against the Head Office of Isuzu Motor, in response to the sudden dismissal of the four workers, as mentioned earlier. We had a rally at the Isuzu's head office, lodging a protest, requesting for its responsibility for the employment. We staged a sit-down demonstration to protest the Isuzu's lacking in sincerity. Notice was then given to the Management to the effect that we would have to repeat this sit-down protesting demonstration all day long from next day, and did so on the days of April 12, 15 and 16, when we called off this tactics as the Management conceded to have a negotiation with us.

4. 2002,April 17

We joined the rally organized by the "No to the Koizumi's Reform! No to War! The Joint Action For Spring 2002", covering the Kanto region. In the evening, 750 of the rally participants marched to the Diet Building. ZEN-ZOSEN protested the GM Japan regarding the Isuzu Motor dispute, the Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation's attempt to disband the trade union, the Tokyo Head Office of Toyota Motor in relation to the dismissal of Japanese-Latino workers by the Hino Motor, and the Head Office of the Sumitomo Heavy Equipments in relation to the lay off and reduction of salary inflicted on the member of Sumitomo Uraga Branch Union.

In such ways, we have been struggling against the reckless attempts by private corporations, together with our comrades here. The dismissed members of the Yasaka Branch Union continue trying to go to the workplace and distribute handbills everyday. In our request, we have been repeatedly denouncing that the restructuring is a result of the irresponsibility of the management at the expense of the workers. However, the management never responded to our request, as of June 14, 2002.

International Solidarity and Our Strategy

In the progress of "Globalization" under the GM's managerial strategy, Isuzu is taking an active part in discharging its domestic workers. However, not only the Japanese workers are sacrificed. In the case of Korea, under the GM's affiliated concern, a formal contract has been signed to acquire Daewoo Automobile Co. by purchase. The oppression to the Daewoo Motor Workers$B!G(B Unions including mass personnel cut, not only by the Management also by the Korean Government's intervention therein, was subjected to a criticism worldwide. "GM Daewoo Automobile Co." is to be established thereafter. The GM, owning 49% shares of Isuzu is considered in a position to form a plan for the Isuzu's future according to its worldwide strategy.

The following labor organizations in Korea, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Korean Metal Workers' Federation, the Daewoo Motor Workers' Union, Joint Struggle Headquarters against Daewoo Motor, and Daewoo Automobile Sales Workers' Union have sent us their solidarity message to our protest rally carried out at the front of Kawasaki Factory. They said, "Fighting against the GM capitalism, it could be a key to the victory to fight together with the Isuzu's labor jointly and severally" in their message.

We shall not tolerate oppression of trade unions by TNCs based in Japan and the USA. It is a responsibility of Japanese workers not to tolerate the reckless attempt by the Toyota Motor. We firmly determine that we would establish the international solidarity among workers in the automobile industry. We shall fight against criminal persecution by the management ! TMPCWA shall overcome. Workers in the world, unite ! Let's fight together.

Kanto Regional Council of the Japan All Shipbuilding and Engineering Union(ZEN-ZOSEN)

Forohashi Osamu, Chairperson of Isuzu Branch Union

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