On 19 October at the 15th Central Executive Committee, RENGO confirmed measures to have a bill on the establishment of the mechanism to settle individual industrial disputes, which has currently been presented by the Democratic Party of Japan.

The background
1. Individual industrial dispute shows a sharp increase and it is said that there are reportedly half a million disputes per a year. However, the existing settlement system has not been working out very well and many workers have to accept cases against their wills. Establishing the settling mechanism of individual industrial dispute is of the most important task among the judicial system reform.

2. RENGO set up a study group on May in 1996 and drafted a bill for the practical use of labour relations commissions in November 1999. On March in 2000 the DPJ presented a bill concerning the settlement individual industrial relations. Regarding the judicial system, RENGO has confirmed that consensus on making a demand for establishment of a labour court to request a policy system and so on.

3. The basic contexts of the demand for practical use of labour relations commissions to settle individual industrial disputes are based on the need as report by the above-mentioned study group:
— The fair, rapid and inexpensive settlement of disputes.
— Participation by workers' and employers' members who should be the best informed of what happens at workplace.
— Proper cooperation with the judicial system.

The present conditions
1. RENGO has, following the decision of its 13th Central Executive Committee, requested the DPS to submit a bill to the extraordinary session of the Diet. RENGO is now actively promoting actions to be taken toward the Diet, the government and the public in order to have the bill approved. On 3 October RENGO gathered all RENGO-recommended members of the central and local labour relations commissions and held the National Labour Relations Commissions Conference.

2. The Ministry of Labour has set up a working group for discussing problems for settlement of individual industrial disputes to initiate a discussion since 27 September this year.

3. As RENGO considers the establishment of the system to settle individual industrial disputes at the labour relations commissions as an important point, it has put emphasis on tackling the approval of the bill by the Democratic Party of Japan, gaining support from a wide range of sectors. Therefore, RENGO will make a request that the present bill (No.3-8-2), which a petition in conciliation is made "by both parties concerned or by a party", should be amended so that it is made "by both parties concerned", supposing the environment of submitting a bill is prepared.