Japan: Updates from Zenroren / Keisuke FUSE

March 30, 2011
Updates from Zenroren / Keisuke FUSE

Dear Colleagues,

20 days has passed since the 3-11 disaster. As you may know, overwhelming
atmosphere over Japanese economy and society is “self-restraint” or “jishuku” incJapanese language. Toyota and major manufacturing companies still halt their production and this suspension seriously impacts small subcontractors and particularly for contingent workers.

To Zenroren’s toll free hot-line, many workers are asking assistance on terminating employment or lay-off. Some companies canceled new recruitment from April for high school and college
graduates. Zenroren affiliated unions in Tohoku are working to secure employment and wages. Co-op workers union in Miyagi agreed with the management that 60% of wage will be compensated during closure of the stores. It is great success and victory for not only Zenroren members, while the Labor Ministry issued “information” to inform employers and workers that employers does not have obligation to pay wages during the planned blackout and disaster impact.

Today, I would like to introduce 2 reports from Jichiroren (municipal workers) and Iroren (medical workers.

**Jichiroren news from their special committee against the disaster

As time passed, grievous news is coming to Jichiroren one by one. Union
officials and staff members were also killed. According to a report from coastal
area of Iwate, “my colleague was shouting to call on local people for immediate
evacuation form tsunami with the community wireless system just after the
earthquake, until very last moment. Her voice ended with scream”. In other
municipal, many public service workers were swallowed by tsunami. One of union
members prepared Japanese sweets for his colleagues, and he was swept away. His
survived colleagues shared these sweets floating on water to survive on the roof
terrace of municipal building. Many Jichiroren members saw their colleagues were
swept away with their own eyes. Psychological support is needed.

On the contrary, we one after another reached to our members by mobile phone.
Joyful voice “Oh, you are alive and safe!” makes us very happy. Many of
Jichiroren continued to work for their local people almost to the mental and
physical limit without any cloth change and staying at their car. Many
Jichiroren members are sent to Tohoku for emergency assistance. Also, former
Iwate Jichiroren members are very active. Brother Maekawa is now living at an
evacuation site, and heards lot of demands and requests from evacuees. He wrote
up a series of demands in hand writing and submitted to Kamaishi City and Iwate
Prefecture, which are an early construction for provisional housing, more useful
financial support for evacuees and medical treatment without health care
certificate.

** Iroren news from Ichinoseki, Iwate

Many Iroren members at Prefectural and National hospitals on coast area continue
to work in very challenging situation. At that night, members at Ozuchi hospital
evacuated to a roof top with their patients and stay overnight with them below
zero temperature. Colleagues at Takada Hospital are keen to provide medical
support for patients, even though they lost their family members and some
colleagues. Some members stay at their hospital or using bicycle, because you
cannot get gasoline for commute. It is a time for all of us to work with pride
as medical workers. In this very difficult situation, the master of Ichinoseki
Hospital officially replied to the union to provide 20 thousand yen special
bonus including part time staff. The union local appreciates this proposal and
agreed with it. An old wing of Ichinoseki hospital was severely damaged by the
quake, but even the management highly evaluates unified work of workers.

Thank you for following this update from Japan. I hope this will help you
understand Japanese situation from labor perspective.

Stay in touch.

In solidarity,

Keisuke FUSE
Director, International Bureau
Zenroren
k-fuse@zenroren.gr.jp