Japan's government must follow ILO recommendations -- Akahata editorial, July 5 (excerpts)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Governing Body on June 21 adopted a Committee on Freedom of Association's recommendation to Japan, calling on the government to end discrimination against a specific labor organization in appointing worker members to the Central Labor Relations Commission.

The Central Labor Relations Commission as an administrative body works to relieve workers of unfair labor practices. Appointment of commission members must be fair in order to gain workers' confidence and play an important role.

But the government has continued unfair appointments since 1989 when national labor centers were reorganized. It has only appointed those who are recommended by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) and excludes members recommended by the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and independent or neutral trade unions.

As a result, the commission's composition is very unbalanced, as the Freedom of Association Committee determined.

All 15 members of the central commission and 97 percent of local commission members represent Rengo. It is natural for the ILO committee to suggest that Japan's government accept plural labor organizations and ensure a right of representation for all of them.

The ILO committee severely criticized Japan's government for violating ILO convention No. 87 which prohibits public authorities' interference, on the grounds that Japan's government gives special favor to a particular labor organization.

The government must accept the ILO committee recommendation and fairly appoint labor commission members for the next term starting in October.

In the trade union movement in Japan, joint struggles are developing among trade unions under different affiliations. The government must not interfere in the labor movement by giving special treatment to a particular labor organization. (end)