Zenroren opens national ‘contingent workers center’

Japan Press Weekly

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

Zenroren opens national ‘contingent workers center’

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) on August 20 opened its National Contingent Workers Action Center (CWAC) at a gathering attended by about 120 people, including part-time workers, temporary workers, women’s organization representatives, lawyers, and academics. Koike Akira, a Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors, spoke at the event.

The establishment of the CWAC was approved by Zenroren’s 23rd Convention in July.

Zenroren has so far used a liaison committee or a network of groups to promote the struggle to improve working conditions of part-time workers, temporary workers and foreign workers.

The CWAC will be the hub for the movements of all contingent workers.

Zenroren President Daikoku Sakuji represents the CWAC. In his speech he said, “To tackle the issues involving contingent workers is an urgent task called for by Japanese society. It is also a task that is essential to the growth of the trade union movement.”

He said that solidarity between full-time workers and contingent workers is the key to developing the struggle to solve the problems facing contingent workers. “We will make efforts to make progress on our demands and win a major development of the CWAC movement in order to brighten the future for workers,” he added.

Several contingent workers present at the opening event offered their opinions. A part-time worker at a pachinko (pinball) parlor, who joined a union to oppose his dismissal, said, “I want more and more workers to join the union. The establishment of the CWAC will be of great help to contingent workers.”

In its first year, the CWAC will make some policy proposals, including a drastic revision to the Worker Dispatch Law, and conduct surveys of contingent workers concerning the real conditions in which young workers work and the effect on their health. - Akahata, August 22, 2008