The Tokyo District Court has ruled as invalid Jetstar Japan's suspension of two cabin crew members in relation to a pay dispute that took place two years ago.
Presiding Judge Hideaki Gunji on Monday said the suspensions were unjustified and ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in their lawsuit against the Narita-based low-cost carrier. The judge ordered the airline to pay back wages to the plaintiffs for the suspension periods.
The first plaintiff, a union leader, had sent an email to union members in March 2022, alleging that Jetstar had been withholding employee allowance payments. The airline contended that the email was sent in a personal capacity and designed to incite dissatisfaction among employees, and suspended the individual for 20 days.
The second plaintiff was suspended for 15 days for accusing a superior, who addressed claims of said unpaid allowances, of insincerity, which Jetstar argued caused emotional distress to the latter.
The judge ruled that the union leader’s email was likely sent using union resources and dismissed Jetstar’s assertion that it was a personal act.
As for the second plaintiff, while the judge acknowledged the accusation of insincerity could cause emotional distress, he deemed the disciplinary measure meted out as "grossly disproportionate" given that the claims turned out to be true.
Jetstar said it had not reviewed the ruling and declined to comment.
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