JAPANESE UNIONISTS PUNISHED FOR STRIKE ACTION
The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. [NTT] has announced that punishment is to be meted out to three-fourths of its 210,000 workers for participating in illegal half-day strikes on April 20. and 23 for higher wages. [See World Outlook May 7.]
Thirty-two union leaders were orceret discharged, 677 were suspended for four to twelve months, 11,877 had their wages cut for one to eleven months, and 142,848 were ‘admonished ,."
The union immediately protested the punishments, stating it would take all possible measures to have them retracted,
The central executive committee of the union said that protest action. would include refusal of overtime work for ten days.
The law prohibits government enterprise workers from striking but the General Council of Japan Trade Unions [Sohyo] has been seoek= ing repeal of the legislation as contrary to the conventions of the International Labor Organization.
Sohyo demanded immediate withdrawal of the punishments. It also said it would take its case to the ILO.- oe
Members of the Japanese National Railway Workers Union [Kokuro] were also hit by disciplinary action for striking for higher wages last April. Punishment was ordered by management against 1,592 workers accused of participating in the strike.
The Kokuro announced it would stage a long-range struggle of "noncooperation" against management by way of protest,
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