A union for temporary workers is seeking redress from the Tokyo Labor Relations Commission, saying Tokyo Electric Power Co. and four other companies have refused to discuss exploitative treatment of one of its members.
Tetsuya Hayashi, 41, of Nagano Prefecture, signed an employment contract with a subcontractor in June 2012 and removed rubble near the reactor 1 building at the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant for ¥13,000 a day.
"We believe Tepco pays its prime contractor around ¥50,000 a day for one worker," said Shuichiro Sekine, head of the union.
Hayashi also paid for his own accommodations and received no information about danger pay.
In October, the union asked the five companies to come to the negotiation table, but none said they would, according to the union.