politics

241 civil servants file suit over salary cuts

22 Comments

A group of civil servants is suing the central government over a 7.8% cut in their monthly salaries. They say the salary reduction, which is not based on any recommendation by the National Personnel Authority, is unconstitutional. The NPA recommended only a 0.23% cut in salaries

The pay cut took effect in April. It is part of legislation, pledged last year by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, to cut the salaries of both Diet members and civil servants through March 2014 to show solidarity with cost-cutting efforts and help raise funds to finance reconstruction in the disaster-hit Tohoku region.

However, the 241 civil servants said in their suit at the Tokyo District Court that the cost of living has become higher, TBS reported.

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22 Comments
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How sbout Noda pushing to remove the dead wood too?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yes I haven't had a payrise in years but I guess that the way it is for foreigners

1 ( +1 / -0 )

We'll be getting an 8% pay cut next month. The university said that "since most staff didn't suffer too much in last year's earthquake" it's OK to cut our pay. They did ask for our opinions, which they will completely ignore. We are not civil servants and the university is supposedly independent, yet we still get stuffed.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The ones who are suing up their cut to 15%!

These people have the easiest jobs, take holidays, & have better pensions, their pay shud be cut more!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

All the more reason to privatise.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The worst part about central civil servants is that under law they can not be fire unless there was a fault on their part such a drunk driving so there is no way to downsize ministries and they can cling on to their position without doing anything useful to the public so long as they show they are doing some task.

Biggest stupidity and it's about time politicians did something about it without fearing of losing votes from the civil servant labor union.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

These people have the easiest jobs, take holidays, & have better pensions, their pay shud be cut more!

My husband is a civil servant (Coast Guard).

The easiest jobs=risk his life to save other people

Take holidays=when we were about to go to TDL, his cell phone rang. Within 15 minutes, he’s gone.

Have better pensions=maybe so, I don’t know.

Their pay should be cut more=we move around from one place to another every 2~3 years throughout the country. Always in deficit. We save money for the next transfer.

He never complains about the salary cuts because he's more proud to serve the country❤

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I'm neither a civil servant nor even at a university, but still the same for us too.

I even got a letter a few weeks ago specifying my salary (new job), now a few weeks later they renege on the offer. Apparently the head honcho's inkan isn't worth the ink it's stamped with. They haven't even been able to tell us exactly who gets what cut, but it will range from 5-10% for most I think.

If they were making any effort to cut the staggering waste, I would be more sympathetic. But it's all about show and politics, nothing meaningful.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

bunch of babies!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

ScroteMay. 27, 2012 - 02:08PM JST

We'll be getting an 8% pay cut next month.

The State of California is now proposing that the State government employees may go into 4 days a week schedule soon as the tax revenue is in red.

Here in my state, some school districts are going into 4 days a week also. Kids are happy but parents are worrying as these kids will not get a competitive edge in global economy. In addition to that, our county has been on 4 days a week schedule since 2 years ago. They only work from Monday to Thursday.

Many US workers are taking a 10% working hrs cut or a 10% pay cut.

As I stated above, life is getting harder for middle class Americans.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ Blair I hear you. Especially the transfers. Lived in the same complexes as Coast Guard families and they have it tough. Hokkaido to Okinawa. I understand the benifits of the system but financially it's very hard. My h is never really in danger but if there's a big quake he's out the door and on his way before the ground stops shaking. But he loves it and I'm proud of how hard he works. Fat cat politicians and thier cronies are not the same as rank and file public servants!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Blair Herron

Exactly. What the always criticizing bunch here do not understand is how much overtime the civil servants work and how they do not get paid for a large part of it. Also, they have to move every 2 or 3 years, which in Japan costs a lot of money. I have friends who are civil servants. The guys working in the private sector ( including me) go home usually before the last train. The civil servants I know ( quite a few) consider themselves lucky if they can go home with the last train. Also, when we go out together, every too often their phones ring, and they have to go back to work even if it is 10 pm or 11 pm. Some of them have commented on their salary cuts but I have not heard any complaints so far. I do wish people would try to learn the truth before talking about the overpaid civil servants and them being pampered, etc.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Oh, and as for getting holidays... The guys I know in the ministries in Tokyo go to work on weekends, too, even though many of them have families and kids. I wonder why their wives can stand the almost constant absence of their husbands because of that work.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Blair HerronMay. 27, 2012 - 04:27PM JST

He never complains about the salary cuts because he's more proud to serve the country

Blair, glad to hear that he is trying to fulfill his duty (under oath) and he is a man of integrity and character serving for Japan.

Herve Nmn L'EisaMay. 27, 2012 - 02:59PM JST

All the more reason to privatise.

Hope you are not talking privatization of military, police, firemen here, are you?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why do civil servants get the nastiness from people? They worked to get the job in the first place. I often agree that MANY of them are overpaid and have far too many bonuses but regardless of this, but not all have it as easy as everyone thing they do. Besdies 7.8% is a large chunk - and more so when there is nothing supporting this cut at all.

And ditto on the pay thing. My unis have added classes over the years but funny, my pay has stayed the same. Though as my boss pointed out "Beggars can't be choosers" and we're all stuck in the same boat. Who wins? The fat cats at the top of course.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Cut their salaries, cut their jobs! they are worthless. Waste of my tax yen!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Civil Servants are a very closed bunch. Usually their fathers were civil servants I like to see how General public go in a job interview against the son of a civil servant for the same public position. So cut their salary most of them haven't done the work to get the position they are in. And don't forget about the community centre and the bridge building scam our public servants were pulling a few years ago. Also the pension scam where the lose 20,000,000 pension accounts Where did the money go????? Some should be fired most should have there salaries cut they are half the reason Japan is in the mess thats its in

1 ( +2 / -1 )

marcelito,

You sir/madame have NAILED IT!

While it commendable those who work as police, coast guard etc, its doesnt mean there are not COLLOSAL AMOUNTS OF WASTE! Because simply put there is, tons of waste that is & I get sick & tired of all those stories about how beaurocrates etc played a major role in Japans glory days, I say BS!

Back then in the 80s Japan did well NOT because of beaurocrates, civil servants BUT DESPITE THEM!

Since the beginning of the 90s the cost & brutal inefficency, the theiving, stealing, kick backing, amakudari ways HAVE BEEN DESTROYING THE COUNTRY, the financial cost of these groups is truly massive. You have to remember its civil "servants" who draw up budgets & spend WAY MORE the country has a hope in contributing tax wise.

IT HAS TO BLOODY STOP OR JAPAN WILL NOT SURVIVE!

And they have to start working smart for petes sake & start just doing the serving part instead of just creating more beaurocracy & ways to waste my taxes!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Sign of the time, sue, sue and sue, cut cut cut.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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