Zenroren marks 20th anniversary of its foundation

Japan Press Weekly

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

Zenroren marks 20th anniversary of its foundation

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) in November marked the 20th anniversary of its founding. Zenroren now enjoys a good reputation among many workers, with many saying, “It’s great that Zenroren exists” or “Zenroren’s time has come.”

Here is an example of union organizing and success by 43-year-old Yabe Hiroshi, head of the All Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) Koyo Sealing Techno branch. The JMIU Koyo Sealing Techno Branch is a Zenroren member union and is composed of temporary workers in Koyo Sealing Techno Co., Ltd., a Tokushima-based Toyota sub-subsidiary.

Yabe said, “The reason I decided to establish a labor union is that I didn’t want to be a contingent worker being used as disposable labor. It was five years ago, when my colleagues and I visited a union affiliated with the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) for advice that they told us that their union is only for full-time workers. I found a website of the Tokushima Prefectural Confederation of Trade Unions (Tokushima-Roren) on the Internet. I met a JMIU member, who was an executive of Tokushima-Roren, working at Techno.”

This was how he organized the JMIU Techno Branch. As a result of the union’s struggle against Techno’s illegal use of temporary workers “disguised as independent contractors,” half of the union members won full-time positions and the other half achieved direct employment at Techno as contract workers.

Yabe proudly stated, “I will continue to struggle until all union members become full-time workers under the JMIU flag. We are pleased that Zenroren is with us.”

In November 1989, Zenroren was inaugurated with the aim of maintaining unity within the labor movement, while Rengo was formed to promote union-management cooperation and to promote anti-communist labor unions. Business leaders anticipated that the Zenroren movement would fail in a few years.

In contrast to this prediction, the Zenroren movement has spread through continuous struggles against the Liberal Democratic Party government and the business circles. Zenroren has consistently called for “establishment of work rules enabling workers to work with human dignity,” to break away from the cruel situation of excessive workloads and long working hours, and to put a stop to the corporate practice of increasing the number of temporary workers. Zenroren has also developed collaboration with people in various fields through its varied activities, including struggles for protecting workers’ rights and improving working conditions, and struggles against constitutional revision and U.S. military bases.

Since last autumn, Zenroren members across the country have been mobilizing temporary workers whose contracts were terminated before their expiration date in the laid-off temporary workers’ movement and played a leading role in demanding direct employment and full-time positions for workers. Zenroren is also active in the anti-poverty movement, sending its volunteer staff to assist those in desperate need, providing shelter and free meals to laid-off temporary workers, while urging the national and local governments to secure contingent workers’ livelihoods.

At a reception commemorating the 20th anniversary of Zenroren held on November 20 in Tokyo, permanent director of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives Shinagawa Masaji said, “I place high hopes on the Zenroren movement. Now is Zenroren’s chance to advance.” Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi said, “I want to pay my respects to Zenroren for serving as liaisons to various movements in collaboration with the general public. I hope that Zenroren will play a key role in the movement to unite all workers and will become more powerful by increasing its movement and membership.”

- Akahata Sunday edition, November 29, 2009