Local public service employees’ union calls for human rights-oriented livelihood protection assistance

   The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren)-affiliated Japan Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers’ Unions (Jichiroren) on August 22 published policy proposals aimed at establishing a human rights-oriented livelihood protection system at its three-day annual convention in Kobe City.

   The proposals pointed out that the livelihood protection is a system guaranteeing the minimum standard of living based on Article 25 of the Constitution and that it has become more important than ever as poverty and social disparities are markedly increasing.

   The proposals criticized the central government for evading its responsibility by cutting back social welfare budgets and adversely revising the system under the name of “structural reform.”

   The proposals also revealed the fact that local public service employees are now faced with enormous difficulties in carrying out their work for residents. Many local governments are inclined to evaluate highly those employees who “contributed” to reducing livelihood protection benefit payments and replace regular employees with non-regular workers without providing those workers adequate training.

   The proposals stated that even under such difficult circumstances, Jichiroren has consistently made efforts to improve livelihood protection administration in order to protect human rights. It called for creating working conditions in which employees can work by putting themselves in the recipients’ place, improving the system and its operation so that residents can use it more easily, and raising the minimum standard of living.                 - Akahata, August 23, 2007