Protest Toyota Campaign <protest-toyota@jca.apc.org>

Protest Toyota Campaign

Newsletter No.6

December 11,2002

Japanese mass media published the news recently with heavy headlines that Japan and China celebrated the 30th anniversary of the restoration of their mutual diplomatic relations, and Tianjin Toyota, an affiliated company of Toyota Motor Corporation, started production in China. The corporation is planning to invest more on China, expecting to produce cars at an Annual rate of 400,000 units by 2010. They produced 250,000 cars in Asia in 2001, and they might transfer production bases in other Asian countries to China. Toyota Motor Corporation marked a sales amount of 15.1trillion Yen and an ordinary income of 1.1trillion Yen at the end of the settlement of the current term, recording the highest both in sales and income in Japanese history. They ranked third in the number of units produced, following General Motors and Ford. Mr. CEO Okuda Hiroshi was appointed Chair of Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Nippon Keidanren), a combination of former Keidanren and Nikkeiren (Japan Federation of Employers' Association) at the end of May 2002, and he is second to none in Japan's economic world. Mr. CEO Okuda stated to the leaders of Japan's scandal-polluted business world that it is a goal of Nippon Keidanren's to review corporate ethics, encouraging them to take the initiative. Nippon Keidanren revised Charter for Good Corporate Behavior, and he also declared that he is in favor of the Kyoto Protocol. He was quoted as saying with an emphasis on Toyota gentle to the environment that Toyota Motor Corporation will promote the production of hybrid cars.

It is this Toyota Motor Corporation, however, that has violated the human rights of employees working for their plants all over the world, as is apparent from what they have done to the employees working for Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMPC). TMPC disregarded the decision made by the Philippine government that the Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Workers' Association (TMPCWA) is a rank and file trade union, which caused the management and labor to sue each other successively for years. As a result, the workers were forced to depend on the last resort, going on strike. TMPC claimed that the strike was against law, dismissing 233 workers without good reason. On top of that, the company threatened the Philippine government that it would retreat from the Philippines, together with other Japanese companies, unless the labor dispute was resolved to their satisfaction. This helped them get a decision favorable to them from the Philippine government.

 In addition, the company went far to take a criminal action against 25 union members because of a "grave coercion" that they stared and railed at some persons standing by the company. They were indicted with the Fiscals Office in March 2002, and were to be put into prison unless they offered bail. Urgent fund raising was conducted both in Japan and the Philippines, which enabled them to escape prison. TMPCWA is busy handling such trial cases and conduct protest campaigns.

 Let's look at a brighter side. Supported by Japanese workers and citizens, MPCWA started in June 2002 to run the Agri-Program, a poultry and a piggery projects and Credit Cooperative. The Agri-Program is intended to help those union members who were dismissed in an unfair manner. Of 233 workers fired, 169 workers refused to receive their retirement allowances and have continued to fight against the company. Most of the dismissed are still trying to find a job, but companies will not hire them because they went on a strike against TMPC and were dismissed. It is difficult for them to make a living supporting their family. Some dismissed workers returned to their home village. In the meantime, there are found some dismissed workers who want to participate in the Agri-Program. TMPCWA discussed the matter, concluding that they would start the project at two sites. The first harvest was already over at the poultry and they marketed their products. The Credit Cooperative was als! o launched so that the members may be loaned on condition that they invest regularly, and the Cooperative is attracting more and more members.

A group of 14 workers and citizens was sent from Japan on July 28 to August 2, 2002 to see how the project is going on and to exchange with TMPCWA. This is for the second time that such a group was dispatched. It is on the morning of July 30 that the fact that TMPC is in a close giver-receiver relationship with the Philippine government was brought to light. Dismissed workers and their family members totaling 150 were planning on this day to carry out a usual and peaceful picket protest in front of the Supreme court and the court of Appeals to seek a fair trial. The Immigration Bureau Commissioner announced using mass media such as newspaper and radio that Japanese would be put under arrest and deported if they joined the protest. Who told the director that the group was staying in Manila?

As advised by the Headquarter of Toyota Motor Corporation in Tokyo which has said repeatedly that local issues should be solved locally, the support group for TMPCWA sent a letter of request to TMPC in advance, asking the local company to meet them while they are in the Philippines. The company said "No" to the group by way of their attorney at law, saying that they can not meet them because the matter is pending at court. It is probable that the local company put pressure on the Philippine government. Despite the remarks made by the Immigration Bureau Commissioner, the group joined the protest as planned, and the Commissioner announced again a comment through mass media that they would be deported. Such news resulted in making Philippine people aware of the TMPCWA's struggle against TMPC, which put their plant at the highest level of alert, inspiring a false story to its workers that the group is composed of terrorists.

On the day which followed the picket protest, the Supreme court made a ruling which was favorable to the local company. In addition, President Arroyo visited the TMPC Plant on October 10, 2002, accompanied by Mr. Cho Fujio, Toyota President, and reportedly thanked him for the hybrid car given to her by Toyota Motor Corporation when she visited Japan in May this year.

Subsequently to last year, two TMPCWA leaders came to Japan on November 21, staying till 29, 2002. They visited on Nov. 22 Toyota Motor Corporation Tokyo and Nippon Keidanren, accompanied by 200 Japanese supporters. They moved on Nov. 25 to Toyota City and conducted a campaign of protest against and made negotiations with Toyota Motor Corporation, together with 40 local supporters. They called on Toyota Motor Corporation at the negotiating table, to withdraw unfair dismissal of 233 Philippine workers and hold a management and labor negotiation. They also mentioned that what Toyota Pilippines had done against TMPCWA did not go with "Charter of Good Corporate Behavior" formulated under the leadership of Mr. Okuda Hiroshi, President of Nippon Keidanren. Japanese and Philippine workers submitted to Nippon Keidanren a demand letter as attached to this newsletter.The two TMPCWA leaders were present at meetings participated by 400 supporters held in Tokyo and Kawasaki respectively! , and also at another one joined by 50 supporters in Toyota City. They successfully confirmed international solidarity with Japanese workers and citizens.

Solidarity between Japanese and Philippine workers is spreading more, overriding the frame of support to TMPCWA struggle. As mentioned in Newsletter No. 5, Zen-Zosen (Kanto Regional Council of the Japan All Shipbuilding and Engineering Union), the Isuzu Branch Union and the Yasaka Branch Union, both under the umbrella of the Union, are continuing struggle against Isuzu Motors Ltd's restructuring policy headed by GM. 500 supporters gathered in front of the Isuzu Kawasaki Plant which was expected to close on September 16, 2002 to hold a meeting to protest against Isuzu Motors Ltd. Following this, a three-day long sit-in struggle was carried out. Solidarity messages given by TMPCWA and the Daewoo Motor Workers' Union Korea were read out at the meeting, which stimulated very much the Japanese workers being in struggle against Isuzu Motors Ltd. Our movement is, no doubt, growing more and more to resist corporate globalization, let the governments and business worlds respect workers' dignity and build another world.

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

Attention of Mr. Okuda Hiroshi, President of the Japan Business Federation

(NIPPON KEIDANREN) 

DEMAND LETTER

In the article 8 of the “Charter for Good Corporate Behavior“ that the NIPPON KEIDANREN published on last October 15th, it is said that Japanese companies “must respect the customs and traditions, and contribute to the development of their host countries“. Also, in the “Guidance for the Execution of Charter for Good Corporate Behavior“ , as a concrete example of action plan regarding article 8, it is written that “1)local laws and rules concerning the conduct of business companies must be respected. 1. the Labor Law, the Law on Taxes, Environmental Law, Monopoly Law, Consumers Protection Law, and the duties for the acquisition of product certification, all local laws must be carefully studied and respected.“

But the Toyota Philippines which belongs to the Toyota Company of which Mr.Okuda you are chairman, is clearly violating the article 8 of the “Charter for Good Corporate Behavior“ by its attacks against the union TMPCWA.

It is now necessary that Toyota company urge Toyota Philippines to stop ist oppression of the union and establish regular relationships between the workers and the management. The union TMPCWA and the workers of the Philippines, the workers and citizens of Japan ask you to :

1. Reinstate the 233 Illegally Dismissed Workers, members of TMPCWA;
2. Withdraw all criminal cases filed against TMPCWA members;
3. Recognize TMPCWA as the Sole and Certified Bargaining Agent of the rank and file workers of Toyota Motor Philippines. Corporation;
4. Start the Collective Bargaining negotiation with TMPCWA;