Zenroren launches movement for protecting migrant workers' rights

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Zenroren launches movement for protecting migrant workers' rights

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) established the "Liaison Council on Migrant Labor Issues" in Tokyo on September 27 in order to protect the rights and meet the demands of foreigners working in Japan and to promote an exchange of experiences nationwide in this field.

The council will encourage foreign workers to join trade unions, request employers to comply with the Labor Standards Law and other labor laws, and petition the government to strengthen its guidance so that employers will comply with the laws.

The number of foreigners working in Japan reached 343,000 as of June 2005, twice as many as in 1996. 145,000 are non-regular workers, 90 percent of whom are working in the manufacturing industry.

Many employers have been charged with illegal conduct such as using disguised contract labor and paying less than the legal minimum wage to trainees.

The Labor Union of Migrant Workers, the Japan Federation of Medical Workers' Unions (Iroren), and the All Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers' Union (JMIU) as well as local trade union organizations have all been working for the benefit of migrant workers.

At an inaugural ceremony of the liaison council, Zenroren Vice President Iwata Yukio called for efforts to improve the working conditions of foreign workers.
- Akahata, September 28, 2006