Recession-affected workers find Zenroren-union a reliable partner

In Miyagi Prefecture in northeast Japan, the National Confederation of
Trade Unions (Zenroren)-affiliated prefectural trade union organization is
organizing grassroots activities to protect workers who are adversely
affected by mass restructuring and dismissals.

From August 21 to 24, members of the Miyagi Prefectural Federation of
Trade Unions (Miyagi-kenroren) and the Telecommunication Industry Workers'
Union (Tsushin-roso) stood in front of NTT Miyagi Office in Sendai City. The
flyer they distributed to NTT workers said: "NTT's rationalization plan will
result in larger profits, but there will be no workers' share in it. What's
more, for customers it will mean a decline in services.

The four-day publicity campaign in which 3,000 handbills were distributed
brought quick reactions to the union office. A fax message from a
53-year-old man stated in anger, "NTT is going to discharge those who need
money the most, for housing loans and children's education."

Takahashi Fukuo of Miyagi-kenroren who is counseling workers on
dismissals and unemployment problems said, "In times of a deepening
recession and rising unemployment, an increasing number of companies are
taking advantage of the vulnerability of unstable workers.

Workers of a lunch delivery company which is on a contract with the
Miyagi Prefectural Office have asked Miyagi-kenroren for help, saying that
part-time workers haven't been paid for the last six months. Miyagi-kenroren
demanded that the prefectural authorities order the company to immediately
end the illegal conduct.

Miyagi-kenroren also receive visitors who are members of the organization
affiliated with the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), seeking
advice on problems of unpaid severance pay, discrimination against trade
union members, and other matters.

Miyagi-kenroren in its regular convention on September 1 decided to focus
their autumn struggle on the campaign to establish job security. (end)