July 20-21, 2010

Trade union federations in machinery, state-run hospitals and agricultural cooperatives held their regular conventions and resolved for a drastic revision of the Worker Dispatch Law, better medical care for people, and a cooperative movement that can meet farmers’ survival needs.

The Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU) on July 19-20 held its 44th convention in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. JMIU chair Ikuma Shigemi called for a struggle that squarely matches the workers’ and people’s demands. A worker at Isuzu Motors reported that after discontinuing contracts with 1,400 temporary workers, some retained workers were forced to work more than 200 hours of overtime in three months.

The convention called for an effective revision of the dispatch law to protect jobs and the rights of dispatched workers along with related tasks as their immediate action policy.

The Japan National Hospital Workers’ Union (Zen-iro) held its convention on July 15-17 in Aichi Prefecture. The convention proposed to improve medical care at state-run hospitals, now being threatened by a merit system, in the public interest.

The National Federation of Trade Unions of Agricultural Corporatives Association (Zennokyororen) held its convention on July 16-17 in Yokohama City. Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Kami Tomoko encouraged participants at the meeting. The convention decided to develop the cooperatives movement to meet farmers’ demands, without forcing workers to compete against each other.
- Akahata, July 20-21, 2010