Railway Workers’ Struggle	No.621 February 10, 2009
		A long struggle of the railway workers is likely to have a ruling in March of the Tokyo High Court to which a suit was filed against the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency. The plaintiffs see a critical phase as they have long demanded a political solution. Last summer the struggle turned to the offensive, but it has been stagnant due to fluid political developments. A large number of workers are fired these days. People now pay fresh attention to the railway workers’ struggle fought since the public transport corporation was privatized in 1987. WORKERS MUST WIN IN THE MIDST OF MASSIVE JOB CUTS The unemployment rate was 4.4% in December last year, producing 390,000 jobless since December, 2007. Major automobile and electric firms announced recently the plans to fire as many as thousands or dozens of thousand of regular workers by coming March. The industry sources estimate that another 400 thousand temporary workers will be sacked. The government’s subsidies for employers to replenish day-off allowances rapidly grew in December to cover 130 thousand workers, the sum of which amounts 15 times bigger than that of previous month. The fact means another 130 thousand will possibly be fired. Mass media anticipate 6% in the jobless rate. Under these terrible circumstances the cause of railway workers’ struggle is focused; what solution will be made? Workers Are Abandoned – That Began with Railway Privatization Easy disposal of irregular workers - it is a political hazard. The disastrous practice began to spread with the division and privatization of National Railway Corporation and subsequent intervention of the state in the labor affairs. The government has taken neo-liberal policies to boost capitalist production since the Nakasone Cabinet in mid 1980s, which is characterized by deprivation of the rights of workers and privatization of national entities. Succeeding administrations have arranged legislative, judicial and administrative mechanisms to justify the massive dismissal of railway workers and illegitimate state’s behaviors against them. The then-premier Nakasone replied in the Diet session that the government would not abandon the workers, but the pledge was broken later by the government itself. A practice of easy sacking has spread to every sector of industries, encouraged by enactment of Workers Dispatch Act. The law was revised afterwards for worse, by which people are treated like merchandise. The government must be forced to make a turn to a better direction. The working population should not let the Diet involve in hollow debates but make the government acknowledge the demands of railway workers and families and admit the illegitimate acts. The state has intervened to undermine labor union movements. President Barack Obama issued late January the ordinance to encourage trade union activities, stating that strong middle class cannot be obtained unless labor movements is enhanced. The US president sees realities more accurately than Prime Minister of Japan, who is sneered by the federation of employers, Keidanren, after he has repeatedly asked for stable employment. With United Strength The labor side is partially responsible for allowing the government to sack workers easily, because it did not stage offensive but retreated at the decisive moment. President Takagi of the Rengo (=Japan Trade Unions Confederation) apologizes lately for his acceptance of Workers Dispatch Act. In this context a course of the railway workers’ struggle will impact on the entire trade union movements. Thus union leaders will courageously review what has been fought for in the past. The railway workers have fought for over 22 years, thanks to the united efforts of the plaintiffs and families, the Solidarity Committee and numerous local organizations across the country. Major trade unions have, however, stayed away in a distance, being calm for these years, and therefore the railway workers have been obliged to make harsh arguments and go through difficult situations. Today their struggles have succeeded in uniting workers, trade unions and supporters, which has created solidarity beyond the national centers to influence on the law courts and politics. Organized workers have a duty to revive labor movements to extend solidarity network; thus Workers Dispatch Act could be abolished and the working population could tackle the today’s labor impasse. Trade union movements in the country will be encouraged, if the railway workers’ struggle wins a victorious settlement. The Tokyo High Court will issue a sentence in the end of March. The railway workers demand a political solution. Let’s organize and join mass movements to support them.