labor2

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

Workers in Spring Struggle converge on the headquarters of the business sector

The Joint Spring Struggle Committee, which includes the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), staged a protest on January 19 in front of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) head office in Tokyo calling for big corporate profits to be fairly redistributed to workers.

Earlier, about 1,800 workers who participated in the day's concerted action took to the streets and distributed flyers or held rallies calling for a pay raise for all workers and for profits to be shared with subcontractors.

A 40-year-old taxi driver who finished the day's work at 6:00am took part in the action holding a large banner reading "Stop the corporate attacks on the Spring Struggle." He is a member of the Japan Federation of Automobile Transport Workers' Unions (Jiko-soren). He said that the Koizumi Cabinet is to blame for "deregulation" that forces workers to work longer at lower wages in an increasingly competitive climate. He said he has been on the night shift for the last two years since the deregulation, his annual income has decreased by one million yen to around three million yen. "If workers receive a raise, our earnings will increase. Large corporations should fulfill their social responsibility."

A 36-year-old Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers' Union (JMIU) member who works for a machinery maker in Tokyo said, "I do not feel economic recovery at all." Since a wage cut five years ago, the amount of his take-home pay has decreased to about 180,000 yen. He said, "I cannot maintain my livelihood if I don't get a pay raise. I will join forces with other workers to win a wage increase."

At a rally in front of the Nippon Keidanren head office, Zenroren Secretary General Bannai Mitsuo said, "Large corporations can give all workers a raise without losing their savings. They should return their internal reserves which they amassed at the cost of workers."
- Akahata, January 20, 2006