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JCP Chair Shii speaks at Zenroren Convention

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo gave the following speech at the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) 22nd Convention on July 26 in Tokyo:

Allow me, on behalf of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP), to extend heartfelt solidarity with all workers attending the National Confederation of Trade Union (Zenroren) 22nd Convention from around the country.

The JCP in April held a "Seminar on Workplace Problems" attended by representatives of JCP workplace branches from all over the country. It keenly reminded us that employment and working conditions are worsening and are rapidly affecting full-time workers as well as contingent workers in the public sector as well as the private sector. This is due to the undemocratic policies of the Liberal Democratic Party government and tightened workplace control by business circles and large corporations. In fact, at no time in the past have humane working conditions been destroyed as they are today.

On July 23rd, NHK TV aired a feature program entitled "Working Poor - Living conditions do not improve even though workers are working harder than ever." "Working poor" are workers whose working conditions are even worse than those who need to receive public assistance. At present more than four million households, or more than 10 percent of all households, are said to be in this group. The program brought to light the serious reality that impoverishment exacerbating in all sections of Japanese society and that poverty is being handed down to the next generation. In large cities, young people with unstable employment are forced to endure harsh working conditions. Young people in their 20s can get a part-time job. But job availability is scarce for people 30 and older, and if they have no one to rely on, they will lose their income and place to live, and become homeless. The TV program exposed these hardships facing young people today.

The Weekly Economist in its July 25 issue featured articles on the theme "Forced Overwork in a Major Power Plagued with Karoshi (death from overwork)." The magazine reported that the number of applications for work-related accident compensation by workers with health problems caused by overwork such as brain and cardiac diseases and mental disorder, was 1,525, including 483 dead, between April 2005 and March 2006, the highest recorded numbers. The magazine revealed that the main cause of karoshi is excessively long-hour work unrestrictedly imposed on workers amidst the wider introduction of merit-based wages and discretionary work schedules and that karoshi is increasing not only among full-time workers but temporary workers and contract workers.

At a time when a handful of people like alchemists are making easy money without effort, workers are in a painful situation as expressed by such terms as the "working poor" and "karoshi". I want to express the determination to make every effort to end this desperate situation in cooperation with Zenroren.

Struggle for the cause of saving the Japanese economy and creating a bright future society

We must also pay attention to the fact that these attacks on workers are causing serious contradictions that even undermine the control imposed on places of work by business circles and large corporations. For example, the number of cases of Japanese cars recalled due to customer complaints about defects has increased rapidly. The number was a record 7,070,000 in 2004. In other words, one in every ten units has been recalled. I think this reality shows clearly that the corporate way of treating workers as disposables does not have a future.

With the conviction that the struggle to oppose the autocratic rule of workplaces and the demand that rules of work be established for a humane work environment is a just struggle to save the Japanese economy and create a bright future for all, let us continue to fight in solidarity.

Two requests for Zenroren regarding the reaffirmation of the trade union movement's principles

The presence and role of Zenroren is more important today than ever. I want to take this opportunity to make our request to the Zenroren movement regarding two points.

One is that we want to see Zenroren further develop activities that stand firmly for the principle of the trade union movement as the organization to bring workers together regardless of ideology or political belief in order to win their demands. Zenroren-affiliated industrial union federations such as the National Union of General Workers-Zenroren, the All Japan Construction, Transport and General Workers' Union, the Japan Federation of Medical Workers' Unions, the Japan Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Unions, and the Japan Federation of National Public Service Employees Unions are joining together in launching unions that embrace individual workers as part of the effort to organize contingent workers. The National Teachers and Staffs Union is taking a lead in the national struggle that has successfully blocked the policy of linking teachers' wages to their rating. Zenroren is always concerned about workers' hardships and is promoting worker unity and cooperation in the struggle to realize their common demands. I hope that Zenroren will further advance this activity which is irreplaceable.

The other point is that we want to see Zenroren increase its pivotal role in the national movement in defense of peace, democracy, and living standards of the people. The May 27 People's Rally in Tokyo (in defense of the Constitution and living standards) brought together 50,000 people, and the July 9 Yokosuka Rally was attended by 30,000 people in opposition to the planned deployment of a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier at Yokosuka. In developing these national movements, Zenroren unionists played a key role. On the issue of the adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education, Zenroren has called for a national struggle in solidarity, and its member federations along with various democratic organizations carried their flags in rallies and demonstrations. This is another example that those that the movement is advancing.

In the struggle to defend the Constitution, we must not be caught up solely in the power relations in the Diet. The need now is for us to tirelessly work to win over more people to ensure that the move to adversely revise the Constitution will be frustrated. In the struggle against U.S. military bases in Japan, the key to winning victory is to further develop cooperation between local governments and residents, no matter what the Japanese and U.S. governments have agreed on.

Finally, I want to stress that political change is essential for achieving the demands of workers as well as the public. Political change takes a united front. The main driving force is the Association for Peace, Democracy and Progressive Change of Politics (Kakushinkon) movement, which has just celebrated its 25th anniversary. As a board member of National Kakushinkon, I sincerely ask Zenroren, which is the largest organization participating in the national Kakushinkon movement, to play an even greater role in forming a popular majority in support of the Three Objectives (peace, democracy and better living conditions).
- Akahata, July 27, 2006