Japan Press Weekly

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2014 April 9 - 15 [LABOR]

Zenroren holds rally to eradicate public sector working poor

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) on April 12 organized a gathering to discuss the issue of the increasing number of non-regular employees and working poor in public services at the state and municipal levels.

The number of non-regular workers in public services has reached 70,000 at the central government level and 700,000 at the local level. In addition, even at public schools, 200,000 non-regular teachers are working.

A participant from a national government workers’ union pointed out that 70% of contingent workers in the national public sector earn only 1.6-1.8 million yen a year because of the low-pay scale. Income inequality could seriously affect the quality of public services, he said.

Regarding expansion of non-regular employment in local governments, a representative of the Japan Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers’ Unions reported that more and more non-regular workers have entered public municipal services such as welfare assistance which requires proficiency and familiarity. The union worker also stressed the need to increase efforts to create a public contract ordinance which guarantees decent wages and working conditions to workers engaged in public works.

A Postal Industry Workers’ Union member who is working in the industry as a non-regular worker for more than 15 years said, “I want to receive an adequate standard of wages and treatment.”

Zenroren is calling for a drastic increase in the number of regular workers in public services, stable employment and equal treatment for non-regular workers, and an increase in the minimum hourly wage to 1,000 yen or more.