| Aiming at a really fair society: Rengo's 5th Convention held on 2 - 3 October 1997, Tokyo |
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With a slogan "Power and Action toward 21st Century", Rengo held its 5th Convention on 2 and 3 October in Tokyo International Forum, which was attended by 2,771 participants including 56 executives, 570 delegates, 77 special women delegates, 123 Central Committee members and 1,945 observers. The Convention adopted action policies for 1998-1999, the counterplan for the coming election of the House of Councillors and so on. It also elected Rengo's new leadership such as Mr. Washio as the President, Mr. Enomoto as the Deputy President and Mr. Sasamori as the General Secretary. Then, it also adopted a resolution concerning the review and amendment of labour legislation and a declaration that Rengo should fully play its social role of trade unions by activating its activities and expanding its size in terms of the membership. |
| At the beginning President Ashida stated: "After 8 years since its creation and 10 years since the private sector Rengo's creation, this Convention should set up Rengo's direction in a recent Japan's circumstance where politics, economics and society are in immense excitement." He pointed out his views in the following six areas: globalization, social clause, economic situation, organizing, bureaucratic and corporate scandals and political actions. The summary of his opening statement is to be found below. |
| The Convention invited representatives of the Government, political parties and international organizations. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto expressed his wish that the Government and trade unions should discuss with each other and cooperate in actualizing agreed goals in order to depart to the coming Century. Opposition parties were represented by Mr. Ozawa of New Frontier Party, Mr. Kan of Democratic Party, Ms. Doi of Social Democratic Party, Mr. Hata of Taiyo ( "Sun" ) Party, Ms. Dohmoto of Sakigake Party, Ms. Sasano, Democratic Reform League and Mr. Fujii of Komei. In addition, Mr. Jordan of the ICFTU, Mr. Izumi of ICFTU-APRO and Ms. Horiuchi on behalf of the ILO Director General Mr. Hansenne gave a word of greeting. |
| Proposals for 1998-99 action policies were discussed with questions/comments made by 16 delegates covering a wide rage of issues, which covers all areas of Rengo's activity. The Session was extended by 1 hour and 15 minutes and came to end with the adoption of the Action Policies by an absolute majority. |
| The Presidential election took place on the second day with two candidates: Mr. Washio and Mr. Shibata of JR Soren (Japan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions). It resulted in Mr. Washio's victory by a vote of 477 for Washio, 29 for Shibata and 30 for blank vote. And the executive was elected as follows. |
| Rengo's new executives elected at the 5th Convention President: Etsuya WASHIO (Tekko Roren: Japan Federation of Steel Workers' Unions) Deputy President: Tsuneo ENOMOTO (Jichiro: All-Japan Prefectual and Municipal Workers' Union) Vice Presidents: Teruto TOKUMOTO (Jidosha Soren: Confederation of Japan Automobile), Katsutoshi SUZUKI (Denki Rengo: Japanese Electrical, Electoronic & Information Union), Tsuyoshi TAKAGI (Zensen, The Japanese Federation of Textile, Garment, Chemical, Mercantile, food and Allied Industries Workers' Unions), Yuji KAWAKAMI (Nikkyoso: Japan Teachers' Union), Mitsuo HATTORI (Zenkin Rengo: Japanese Federaiton of Metal Industry Workers' Union), Kazuo SASAMORI (Joho Roren: Japane Federation of Telecommunicaitons, electornic Information and Allied Workers), Daisaku KOUCHIYAMA (CSG Rengo: Japan Federation of Chemical, Service and General Workers' Union), Ryoichi IKEMURA (Shitetsu Soren: General Federation Private railway and Bus Workers Unions of Japan), Susumu TAKATO (Japan Postal Workers' Union), Mitsuo NAGUMO (Shogyo Roren: Japan Federation of Commercial Workers' Unions), Yosihmi Morooka (Jichiro: All-Japan Prefectual and Municipal Workers' Union) General Secretary: Kiyoshi SASAMORI (Denryoku Soren The Confederation of Electric Power Related Industry WorkersUnion of Japan) Assistant General Secretary: Yuzo MACHIDA (Jichiro), Yuzo NOZAWA (Denki Rengo), Hiroya NOGUCHI (Zensen), Kiyoko KUMAZAKI (Zensen) Central Executive Committee Members: Yoshimitsu TAKASHIMA (Jichiro), Yotaro KONO (Seiho Roren: National Federation of Life Insurance Workers' Unions), Jiro TERADA (Denryoku Soren), Masaoki KITAURA (Kinzoku Kikai: National Metal and Mchinery Workers' Unions of Japan), Benichiro ETO (Tekko Roren), Kazumaro SUZUKI (Unyu Roren: All Japan Feederaiton of Transport Worers' Unions), Masayuki YOSHII (Zosen Juki Roren: Japan Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Workers' Unions), Shigeru MASUDA (Shokuhin Rengo: Japan Federation of Foods and Tobacco Workers' Unions), Shigeo Maki (Kotsu Roren: Japan Federation of Transport Workers' unions), Osamu SUZUKI (Chemical League 21), Nobuaki IZAWA (Zenyusei: All Japan Postal Labour Union), Kazuaki KAZURANO (JR Rengo: Japan Railway Trade Unins Confederation), Masaaki KOTANI (JR Soren: Japan Confederation of railway Workers' Unions), Hirokazu IWASAKI (Kagaku Soren: Japanese Federation of Chemical Workers' Unions), Yasuo FURUKAWA (Gomu Rengo: Jpanese Rubber Workers' Union Confederation), Yasuhiko MATSUI (Zenkoku Ippan: National Union of General Workers), Toshiaki YOSHIDA Kamipa Rengo: Japanese Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers7 Unions(), Shoshiro NAKANISHI (Kaiin Kumiai: All Japan Seamens' Union), Hiroshi SAWADA (Leisure Service Rengo: Japan Federaiton of Leisure, Service Industries Workers' Unions), Naoki TOKUNAGA (Zendensen: All Japan Electric Wire Labour Union), Toshikazu SUZUKI (The All Japan Municipal Transport Workers' Union), Tatsuo SHIMA (Kokko Soren: Japan Central Federation of National Pubic Service Employees' Unions), Osamu MIMASU (Zenjiko Roren: National FederationAutomobile Transport Workes' Union), Tatsuo SASAKI (Kokuzei Roso: Japanese Confederation of National Tax Unions), Naomi OKAMOTO (NHK Roren: The Federation of All NHK Labour Unions) Central Executive Committee Members (full time): Naotake KAIBARA (Jidosha Soren),Katsunari AKITA (Jidosha Soren), Masahiko YAMASHITA (Nikkyoso), Tadayuki MURKAMI (Denryoku Soren), Masao KATANAYA (CSG Rengo), Kiyoharu Matsuura (Tekko Roren), Joji OSAKA (Shitetsu Soren), Kunihiro OHORI (Shokuhin Rengo), Junko Takashima (Secretariat) Auditors: Yoshiyuki WATANABE (Zensuido: All Japan Water Supply Workers' Union), Kikuo HATTORI (Zengin Rengo: All Japan Federative Council of Bank Labours Unions), Koji MIYAUCHI (Zenkoku Gas: Federation of gas Workers' Union of Japan), Shozo HIMENO (Hitetsu Rengo: Japanese Metal Mine Workers' Union) |
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The summary of President Ashida¤fs Opening Statement Globalisation and mega-competition After the end of cold war, the world went into the mega-competition to which contributed the globalisation of the capital, information, and technology. In this process of the globalization, some enterprises and the managers aims to use the low wage and easy disposable labor, and to transfer their company to one place to another. These management have no interests in the stability of employment and the society, leaving aside the employment, human rights and environmental problem. Social clause The globalization and mega-competition contribute to the increase of the wealth, but at the same time, it creates bigger gapes of distribution of wealth between the rich and poor within the nation and among the nations, the increase of unemployment. Especially, Japan as a member of Asian countries, should be aware of these problems such as poverty, distraction of environment, child labor, the denial of trade union rights, and Japan should tackle these problems. Current economic situation In order for the Japanese economy not to go into a depression again, I strongly feel that Rengo should still demand that the 2 trillion tax reduction be actualised with this fiscal year. The unionisation of unorganised workers and the promotion of affiliation of non affiliated unions to Rengo are the role of Rengo federations and local Rengos. They should fulfil their respective responsibilities in order to achieve the unionization of workers. It is important in this respect to have capable organizers and appropriate finical supports at deferent revels of Rengo, local Rengos and federations. The corporate and bureaucracy scandals Many scandals of the bureaucracy and of leading companies have recently come out. It should be trade unions who stops/corrects corporate' running out and paralysis in the sense of money. Trade union leaders cannot speck out on such things if they only look for the interest of their organizations and companies loosing the proper judgement of their social responsibilities. Political questions The political forces outside of the Liberal Democratic Party have become disunited, leading commentators to dub the situation the one giant versus the six dwarves. To stop the LDP's victory, we must urge improving such a situation. Concrete proposal will be presented later in our Action Policies. |
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