3-02-07, 8:47 am

Workers' actions take place around Japan for reducing poverty and social disparities

On February 21, 2007 workers and local residents took part in rallies, demonstrations, and representations around the country for the success of the 2007 Spring Struggle. These actions were organized by the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and the People's Spring Struggle Joint Committee.

In Saitama Prefecture, led by a banner that read, 'Eradicate poverty and social disparities, Defend living standards and peace,' about 100 people marched in a demonstration during the lunch hour in downtown Saitama City.

The hourly wage for temporary workers hired by the prefectural government is 780 yen, over 100 yen less than the average hourly wage in the private sector. A Prefectural Workers' Union representative said that they will strengthen the struggle calling for temporary workers' wages to be increased to 1,000 yen per hour.

In the evening, 74 rallies and 53 demonstrations were held in various parts of the prefecture with about 12,000 people participating. In Soka City, about 300 residents holding lanterns marched in a demonstration in shopping areas, calling for an increase in job opportunities and the defense of local economies. In this demonstration, a chair of the residents' association, in which 4,500 households are members, participated for the first time.

In Aichi Prefecture, members of the Aichi Federation of Trade Unions made representations to the local labor standards inspection office, urging it to give employers firm instructions to put an end to the illegal corporate practice of unpaid overtime work.

One-third of major firms have workers working more than 100 hours of overtime per month

A Central Labor Relations Commission's survey published recently revealed that one-third of major corporations have employees working more than 100 hours of overtime a month.

More than 100 hours of overtime a month is considered to be excessively long working hours causing karoshi (death from overwork) that is applicable to work-related accident compensation.

In the survey carried out in June 2006 at 373 firms with a capital of at least 500 million yen and 1,000 or more employees, 33.2 percent of respondents, or 78 out of 235 companies, answered they have employees whose monthly overtime exceed 100 hours.

In these cases, both workers and their employers are required to receive doctors' advice on health care and on reducing working hours. However, only 25.5 percent of the companies have consulted with doctors.

Young workers call for eradication of unpaid overtime work

Temporary workers of the Young Contingent Workers' Union launched a campaign to eradicate labor practices violating the Labor Standards Law.

On February 24, the first day of the campaign, about 30 union members staged a demonstration in front of the major restaurant chain 'Sukiya' restaurant in Shibuya, a district popular with young people in Tokyo.

'Let's join the union to recover unpaid overtime wages; Part-timers can take paid holidays,' they shouted to young passers-by.

A 21-year-old man who works at another 'Sukiya' restaurant and who became a union member last October took part in this action. He said, 'I was surprised that the union's activities made the restaurant chain pay us the overtime in back pay in compliance with the law. Now I know how important struggling for workers' rights is.'

A 21-year-old woman who was listening to the union members' protest said, 'I have just come to realize that when we work more than eight hours a day, we are entitled to get normal hourly wages plus extra as overtime pay. Many say 'there is no choice,' but in their heart they want to be treated fairly.'

Young Contingent Workers' Union Secretary General Kawazoe Makoto said, 'Everybody is forced to work under harsh working conditions. Only the union can negotiate with the management under the protection of law. We want to make the union widely known to young people'

Last November, six part-timers working for 'Sukiya' established the Young Contingent Workers' Union-affiliated Sukiya Union. The restaurant chain paid 10,000 part-timers in all its restaurants the unpaid extra wages for overtime from last November, but still refuses to pay such wages retroactively.

From Akahata