Port and seamen unions call for joint struggle against wartime legislation

A port workers' union and a seamen's union together held a meeting on February 15 in Tokyo against the government plan to get legislation "to deal with emergencies" in the current Diet session.

In a joint appeal issued at the meeting, the All Japan Dock Workers' Union and the All Japan Seamen's Union said that they oppose such wartime legislation because it will threaten maritime workers' safety and their basic human rights.

The two unions, which played an important role in heightening public awareness of the danger of the 1997 law to oblige Japan to cooperate with the United States in wars, warned that new wartime legislation is designed to be a major reinforcement of the 1997 law.

The wartime legislation is aimed at giving the government a free-hand to expropriate civil facilities and personnel related to ships and vehicles, control navigation and shipping, and place Japan's ports under wartime control, the appeal said.

Recalling the historic fact that port workers and seamen were the first victims to be mobilized in WWII, the two unions called on ground, sea, and port workers to do all they can to block the wartime bills. (end)