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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Jichiroren discusses ways to organize Spring Struggle

The Japan Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Unions (Jichiroren) on December 8 and 9 held a meeting in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, to discuss how to organize the 2006 Spring Struggle, focusing on opposition to the Koizumi Cabinet's attack on government employees under the pretext of the need to create a "smaller government."

Jichiroren Chair Komaba Tadachika welcomed the inauguration of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) "task force for a new Japan" in opposition to the Koizumi Cabinet's "structural reform" policy and called for more cooperation in local areas.

In presenting Jichiroren's strategy for the 2006 Spring Struggle, Secretary Oguro Sakuji stressed the importance of demanding equal treatment between regular and non-regular employees regarding working conditions and wages with the slogan, "An hourly wage increase of more than 100 yen for every employee." He called on the participants to organize the Spring Struggle involving every Jichiroren member including young people and part-timers.

In the discussion, a representative of Hiroshima Prefecture spoke about a campaign against Hiroshima City's plan to privatize about 1,500 city-run facilities. After local Jichiroren members distributed flyers criticizing the city for considering welfare, culture and child care as commercial products and calling on residents to jointly protect their civic "treasures," the city assembly adopted a special resolution to review the privatization plan.
- Akahata, December 10, 2005