RENGO endorsed the 5th Stage Organizational Expansion Performance report, the state of the regional unions report, and the special participating organizations report at the 24th Central Executive Committee Meeting on May 20. At the meeting, the committee pointed out that "the number of expanded organizations during the 5th stage remained at 32. This proves that efforts to expand the organization have not yet extended throughout RENGO." The committee demanded further effort on this issue.

Expansion Stage	1st /2nd Stage	3rd Stage	4th Stage	5th Stage	Total
Period	10/96 - 09/97	10/97 - 03/98	04/98 - 09/98	10/98 - 03/99	10/96 - 03/99
New Members added to Constituent Organizations	51,001	16,670	41,164	16,206	125,041
Unions	374	186	245	157	961
New RENGO Members	35,660	none	none	none	35,660
New Members in New/Expanded Regional Unions	1,946	1,036	1,580	622	4,772
New Observers/Special Participating Organizations	none	2,007	none	none	2,007
Sub Total	88,607	19,713	42,744	16,828	167,892
Cumulative Total by Stage	88,607	108,320	151,064	167,892
% Achieved toward 1.1 mil. Member Goal	8.06%	9.85%	13.70%	15.30%

The Current State of Regional Unions

Regional unions have 4,772 union members and are contained within 23 local RENGO. The 5th stage has displayed overall growth, adding 665 people and losing 43.
The regional union is a temporary unit union assemblage that supplements the basic activities for organizational expansion, and links labor consultations to unionization, and aims to join one of the industrial federations. RENGO will step up efforts to reach its goal of implementing the plan for organizational expansion.

The Current State of Special Participating Organizations

The number of unions in special participating organizations did not change, but the number of members in the unions in local RENGO in Nagano, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Okinawa rose from 733 to 10,083 (as of March 31) an increase of 9,350 over the previous stage.

The Current State of Direct Participation in Local RENGO/Local Councils

Unions that directly enter local RENGO or local councils while trying to gain regular member status in industrial federations fell slightly to 48,118 people, 292 unions at 16 local RENGO (as of March 31) from 48,658 people, 357 unions at 16 local RENGO during the 4th stage.
Participation in industrial federations and the shift from direct participation in local RENGO/local councils to regional unions when there is accord between the local RENGO and the union concerned remained small. Constituent organizations of industrial federations are expected to make greater efforts to promote membership as per the table listed above.

The distinct change in numbers for direct participation in the 5th stage derive from 2,000 people from Dai Nippon Printing's labor union withdrawing from the regional council of the west division, RENGO Tokyo, and 1,302 people from the Suzuyo Staff Members' Union newly joining the regional council in RENGO Shizuoka.
Because Dai Nippon Printing is a priority industry, RENGO has been calling on its labor union to become a full member, and as a special measure, will redouble its efforts.
Suzuyo Staff Members' Union deviate from the RENGO membership norm. In the light of organizational personnel situation, it is necessary to work toward gaining regular status in RENGO.

<Part-time Union Members>

Subsidies for reinforcing activities of part-time union members have been awarded in the following numbers.
(Change and number of current applicants.)

October to December 1996		8 Constituent Organizations		158,817 people
January to March 1997		9 Constituent Organizations		168,883 people
April to June 1997		11 Constituent Organizations		180,514 people
July to September 1997		11 Constituent Organizations		194,871 people
October to December 1997		11 Constituent Organizations		197,567 people
January to March 1998		13 Constituent Organizations		199,043 people
April to June 1998		16 Constituent Organizations		204,851 people
July to September 1998		16 Constituent Organizations		207,922 people
October to December1998		16 Constituent Organizations		227,369 people
January to March 1999		16 Constituent Organizations		226,617 people

All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union (JICHIRO)		20,157 people
The Japanese Federation of Textile, Garment, Chemical, Mercantile, Food and Allied Industries Workers' Unions (ZENSEN)		95,492 people
Japan Teachers' Union (NIKKYOSO)		635 people
Japan Federation of Telecommunications, Electronic Information and Allied Workers (JOHO ROREN)		7,138 people
Japanese Federation of Chemical, Service and General Trade Unions (CSG RENGO)		21,298 people
Japan Postal Workers' Union (ZENTEI)		83 people
Japan Federation of Commercial Workers' Unions (SHOGYO ROREN)		27,982 people
Japanese Federation of Chemistry Workers' Unions (KAGAKU LEAGUE 21)		15 people
All Japan Postal Labour Union (ZEN YUSEI)		2,002 people
Japan Railway Trade Unions Confederation (JR-RENGO)		1,600 people
National Union of General Workers (ZENKOKU-IPPAN)		8,227 people
Japan Federation of Leisure, Service Industries Workers' Unions (LEISURE SERVICE RENGO)		2,149 people
Federation of Non-life Insurance Workers' Union of Japan (SONPO ROREN)		12,426 people
All-Japan Water Supply Workers' Union (ZENSUIDO)		927 people
National Race Workers' Union (ZENKYORO)		20,774 people
Hokkaido Seasonal Workers' Union (DOKIRO)		2,000 people

<Local Advisors, Labor Consultant Activities etc.>

1. Local Advisors
   70 advisors have been positioned in 37 local RENGO.
2. Labor Consultant Activities
   Local RENGO and advisors are working hard to link consultation activities to unionization through raising the level of telephone/e-mail consultations to in-person interview consultations, while at the same time utilizing regional unions.
   We have learned that the unionization of 700 people nationwide began in liaison with industrial federations, and that unionization was influenced by other new labor unions in closely related fields in the same industry. In light of the fact that we also receive consultations wanting to establish labor unions, we will strengthen this activity all the more as one way to develop new organizations.
3. With the help of central advisors, RENGO published a new organizational manual "Establishing Labor Unions."