Workers take to streets for victory in Spring Struggle

On March 5 in Tokyo, various trade unions held a concerted action to win a wage increase for all workers and block cutbacks in pensions in their Spring Struggle.

About 3,000 people assembled at Hibiya Amphitheater for a rally held by the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and the Joint Spring Struggle Committee.

Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Bannai Mitsuo, Zenroren secretary general, said regional concerted actions for the Spring Struggle have been held in more than 1,300 locations throughout the country, with participation by the largest ever number of workers. "This points to the worsening living conditions in sharp contrast with the record profits made by large corporations," he said.

Bannai called on participants to take part in the peace action scheduled for March 20 as part of the global day of anti-war action and in a national strike on April 15 in opposition to an adverse revision to the pension system.

Ishimoto Iwao, president of the Liaison Council of Public Servants Unions, referred to the arrest of a government employee on a charge of "violating the National Public Service Law" and stressed that such an unjust act might pave the way for a blanket ban on public servants from even attending union rallies.

Airline workers

On the same day, members of the Liaison Council of Civil Aviation Workers' Unions staged a demonstration in Tokyo condemning their companies for being intent on cutting costs while failing to defend safety.

A co-pilot working at the Japan Air Lines stated that he and his co-workers are forced to work longer hours than any other pilots in the world. A mechanic of the Japan Air System said, "As a result of the restructuring promoted by the government and the company, repairs are always postponed and our safety policies are always violated." (end)