Photo: President Washio put stress upon employment issue.
85,000 people filled the grounds on a sunny May day.

On May 1, 85,000 people gathered at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo for the 70th May Day Central Rally. 1,323,980 people participated in May Day events at 753 places nationwide. Executive Committee Chairperson Washio (RENGO President) addressed the Central Rally by saying "Although it is the 70th commemorative workers' festival, I am pained when I think about the many fellow workers who even at this moment are experiencing employment insecurity." Further, he also expressing his resolution that "RENGO will try its utmost to vanquish the current extremely harsh employment conditions."
The following guests gave speeches at the Rally: Labor Minister Amari from the Government, Vice Governor Ueno of Tokyo, Secretary General Hata of the Democratic Party of Japan, Representative Kanzaki of New Komeito, Secretary General Fujii of the Liberal Party, Social Democratic Party leader Doi, Secretary General Ishida of the Reformers' Network, Secretary General Kawaguchi of the Central Labor and Welfare Association, and Executive Director Hanson of the Amnesty International, Japan.

Chairperson Washio delivered the following address:
The unemployment rate in March was announced yesterday. It rose to 4.8% or 3,390,000 people, breaking again the previous record for the worst unemployment ever. This is indeed an unprecedented employment crisis. These circumstances are the direct result of a lack of precision and effectiveness in every economic and job creation measure put forth by the Government so far. RENGO strongly petitions the Government to immediately compile a supplementary budget which includes the advancement of the million job creation measures in the fields of nursing care, education and environment, and emergency measures for employment.

It was highly regrettable that the 1999 Spring Struggle wage hike did not reach the target level we had hoped for. Although we reluctantly admit that the results were insufficient, at least we did succeed in turning back management's attempts to decrease wages or not provide any hike in the basic wage, and we were able to set a minimum standard pay hike through the efforts of each affiliate. It is an excellent national decision making system, the significance of which should not be changed in the future. RENGO will redouble its efforts on current issues while maintaining the Spring Struggle framework in the future. Among the issues we will work on are: creating fair working rules, establishing safe and reliable systems for pensions and medical and nursing care, shortening working hours, attaining a gender equal society, fortifying measures against the slowing birthrate, creating pay hikes for workers in the public sector, facilitating agreements at organizations where struggles are not yet settled, and raising the minimum wage.

For expanding RENGO organizations, despite our serious organization expansion drive, the organization rate is declining. On the other hand, however, expectation on labor unions is getting bigger in this current severe long-term depression. Leaders in each organization in every level should lead and strengthen the action with the headquarters, the affiliate organizations and local RENGO in unite.

RENGO involves itself in politics because it believes that the realization of 'justice, equity, equality and participation' is indispensable for improving the living standards of workers. The politics of the Liberal Democratic Party until now are a far cry from a system of politics for the workers.
RENGO will confront the LDP, which emphasizes "efficiency and competition," and strive to fortify political forces, that treat the workers' demands as their own, into solid entities.