No. 1299 Government Party Goes on Offensive on Labor Federation
The yearly spring labor offensive kicked off with a statement of Premier Kishida Fumio, stressing ‘a request of wage hike presented to the management should be met so that workers may overcome the high cost of living’. The convention of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was held during the 2023 Spring Offensive to which the president of the Rengo, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, attended, representing the labor. The fact has brought a political entanglement into the Rengo.
LABOR MUST TAKE FIRM ACTION TO FIGHT INJUSTICE
The LDP’s convention was held on February 26, and mass media reported that President of the Rengo Yoshino Tomoko, who aligns with the opposition parties of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), was present.
The LDP President Kishida stated that ‘we stay on the crucial stage of history’. This perception means to confirm the controversial three documents on national security and to pronounce diplomacy of power, which is well expressed in the budget compilation of the fiscal 2023. The fact infringes the Constitution and upsets the political processes the country has developed after the WWII as a peaceful nation.
Government’s conciliatory attitudes toward Rengo
Reportedly, the LDP specified in the policy paper for the party congress that ‘it will foster alignment with the Rengo and other amicable trade unions’ so that the labor federation’s top leader could take part in a comfortable atmosphere. President Yoshino was said that ‘she herself had wanted to attend the congress’, responding to the LDP’s offer cordially. The Rengo had strengthened relations with the government and ruling parties with a hope to realize its policies, revitalizing the relationship between the government and the labor.
Consequently, this fact has produced complications inside the Rengo. Finally, however, the dispute has been settled in a supposition that there had not been any invitation of the president from the LDP, but it has revealed disgrace of the leadership of the federation; it looks happy, observing ‘the historic stage of the labor offensive’, though the government and ruling political parties attempt to sweeten the labor so as to control it.
The Rengo was established in 1989 with a principle that it would build an alternative political force to replace the LDP. But today’s behaviors of the confederation incite outrage and abomination.
Toyota management has fully met labor’s demands
The final day of labor-management negotiation in many countries is approaching, when majority of the deals will over. Toyota, a leading Japanese company, accepted the labor’s demands in full terms before other companies end the talks. This is a record of three consecutive years.
The trade union of Toyota did not sponsor, in the 2021 General Elections, the then-incumbent lawmaker in the 11th District of Aichi Prefecture. He had been successfully assisted by the said union to be in office for six uninterrupted terms. As a result, an LDP candidate gained the seat. It was ‘a brave decision’ of the Toyota’s labor union.
The Toyota’s management seeks for comprehensive political support from the Japanese government for its survival, as it has made a mistake in the era of transition to EV production. The management’s acceptance of the labor’s requests means, undoubtedly, that it has responded wisely to the ‘bold decision’ of the union.
The basic of trade unions
After the management of Toyota flatly agreed with the labor, a Senryu poem was published in a newspaper; it says,
Listen to me, Union of Toyota, Please cover workers of sub-contractors, too.
How will the Toyota’s trade union and the Rengo react to the satirical poem?
Now let’s remember the basic: ‘the fundamental mission of trade unions which organize labor movements lies in showing a fighting stance against injustice and taking action’. This is a recommendation from the Rengo’s Evaluation Committee.
We will never forget the mission of trade unions; to establish a fortress of workers’ pride and to fight against injustice.
２月26日に開かれた自民党大会に、「立民・国民」を支持している連合の芳野友子会長が「出席」と報道された。
岸田総裁は大会で、「われわれは新たな歴史の転換点にいる」と表明した。その認識は、新「安保三文書」や23年度予算案に示された「戦争国家への転換」であり、憲法や戦後の平和国家の歩みを踏みにじる力の外交である。
連合に対する懐柔
自民党は大会方針に「連合並びに友好的な労働組合との連携を強化する」と書き込んで、会長出席への環境整備を図ったという。これに呼応するように芳野会長は、「政労会見」の復活で政策実現を図りたいと政府・自民党と接触を強めてきていたこともあり、「出席したい」意向だったとされる。
当然だが、この報道に連合内は紛糾した。「自民党から招待はなかった」で決着をつけたものの、連合を抱き込もうと接近する政府・自民党の攻勢に「歴史的転換の春闘」の最中に浮き足し立つ指導部の姿をさらけ出すことになった。
そもそも連合は、自民党に代わる「新しい政治勢力の形成」を掲げ、１９８９年発足したはずなのに、「この醜態はいったいなんだ」と言わざるを得ない。
満額回答・トヨタ
春闘の集中回答日が迫るが、日本を代表する企業「トヨタ」は回答日を待たず３年連続の「満額回答」を出した。
トヨタ労組は一昨年の衆院選で、指定席であった愛知11区で当選６回の現職を擁立せず、結果自民候補に議席を譲る「決断」をした。
トヨタはＥＶへの移行判断を誤り、生き残るために日本政府の全面的政策支援を求めているが、満額回答は労組の「英断」に応えたということだろう。
労働組合の原点に
トヨタの満額回答後、ある新聞にこんな川柳が載った。「下請けもトヨタ労組に入れたげて」。この鋭い風刺に、トヨタ労組や連合はなんと応じるのだろうか。
そこで思い出すのは「労働組合が担う労働運動の根本的な使命は、不条理に対して闘う姿勢を持ち、行動することが、労働組合の使命なのである」とした連合評価委員会答申だ。
労働者の誇りをかけた対抗軸と、不条理克服へ闘う姿こそ労組の評価を決めることを忘れまい。
英訳版↓
No. 1299 Government Party Goes on Offensive on Labor Federation
The yearly spring labor offensive kicked off with a statement of Premier Kishida Fumio, stressing ‘a request of wage hike presented to the management should be met so that workers may overcome the high cost of living’. The convention of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was held during the 2023 Spring Offensive to which the president of the Rengo, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, attended, representing the labor. The fact has brought a political entanglement into the Rengo.
LABOR MUST TAKE FIRM ACTION TO FIGHT INJUSTICE
The LDP’s convention was held on February 26, and mass media reported that President of the Rengo Yoshino Tomoko, who aligns with the opposition parties of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), was present.
The LDP President Kishida stated that ‘we stay on the crucial stage of history’. This perception means to confirm the controversial three documents on national security and to pronounce diplomacy of power, which is well expressed in the budget compilation of the fiscal 2023. The fact infringes the Constitution and upsets the political processes the country has developed after the WWII as a peaceful nation.
Government’s conciliatory attitudes toward Rengo
Reportedly, the LDP specified in the policy paper for the party congress that ‘it will foster alignment with the Rengo and other amicable trade unions’ so that the labor federation’s top leader could take part in a comfortable atmosphere. President Yoshino was said that ‘she herself had wanted to attend the congress’, responding to the LDP’s offer cordially. The Rengo had strengthened relations with the government and ruling parties with a hope to realize its policies, revitalizing the relationship between the government and the labor.
Consequently, this fact has produced complications inside the Rengo. Finally, however, the dispute has been settled in a supposition that there had not been any invitation of the president from the LDP, but it has revealed disgrace of the leadership of the federation; it looks happy, observing ‘the historic stage of the labor offensive’, though the government and ruling political parties attempt to sweeten the labor so as to control it.
The Rengo was established in 1989 with a principle that it would build an alternative political force to replace the LDP. But today’s behaviors of the confederation incite outrage and abomination.
Toyota management has fully met labor’s demands
The final day of labor-management negotiation in many countries is approaching, when majority of the deals will over. Toyota, a leading Japanese company, accepted the labor’s demands in full terms before other companies end the talks. This is a record of three consecutive years.
The trade union of Toyota did not sponsor, in the 2021 General Elections, the then-incumbent lawmaker in the 11th District of Aichi Prefecture. He had been successfully assisted by the said union to be in office for six uninterrupted terms. As a result, an LDP candidate gained the seat. It was ‘a brave decision’ of the Toyota’s labor union.
The Toyota’s management seeks for comprehensive political support from the Japanese government for its survival, as it has made a mistake in the era of transition to EV production. The management’s acceptance of the labor’s requests means, undoubtedly, that it has responded wisely to the ‘bold decision’ of the union.
The basic of trade unions
After the management of Toyota flatly agreed with the labor, a Senryu poem was published in a newspaper; it says,
Listen to me, Union of Toyota,
Please cover workers of sub-contractors, too.
How will the Toyota’s trade union and the Rengo react to the satirical poem?
Now let’s remember the basic: ‘the fundamental mission of trade unions which organize labor movements lies in showing a fighting stance against injustice and taking action’. This is a recommendation from the Rengo’s Evaluation Committee.
We will never forget the mission of trade unions; to establish a fortress of workers’ pride and to fight against injustice.
March 15, 2023