At its 40th Central Committee on June 26,
RENGO endorsed “Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Demands and Proposals for Policies/Systems,”
which was compiled into eight pillars, and the “Fiscal Year 2004 RENGO Demands
on Major Issues,” which was comprised of eleven major issues. RENGO sited
the following three priority issues among the major demand issues: (1) compilation
of the FY 2004 budget to create jobs and dissolve deflation, (2) establishment
of a public pension system that guarantees security and reliability by conducting
basic pension reform, (3) legislation of “Part-time/Fixed-term Labor Law”
and “Labor Contract Law” to secure job security and bring about equal
treatment. Further, to more widely reflect gendered viewpoints, RENGO divided
gender-equal policies into separate policy fields here. RENGO will conduct demand
activities starting this July on the government and related ministries/agencies
after the endorsement of these “Demands and Proposals.”
Fiscal Year 2004 RENGO Demands on Major Issues
(July 2003 – June 2004)
I. The Concept of Major Demands and Establishing Priority
Issues
- Working citizens face critically severe anxiety over living and jobs due to
the worst employment situation since World War II, income drop-off from a protracted
recession, and so forth. These are the fruits of the Koizumi administration’s
economic, employment and social security policies, which prioritized financial
reconstruction. The people’s anger toward the government and its responsibility
for these results is boundless.
- In order to dispel the people’s severe anxiety over living, it is essential
to resolve deflation, improve the job situation by expanding opportunities, and
restore worker consumption. RENGO will establish the following three demands as
priority issues in order to restore security and stability of people’s lives
and jobs and will work for them with the collective anger of its union members.
[1] Compile the FY 2004 budget to create jobs and dissolve deflation. [2] Establish
a public pension system that guarantees security and reliability by conducting
basic pension reform. [3] Legislate the “Part-time/Fixed-term Labor Law”
to establish fair and equal work-rules in working environments and enact the “Labor
Contract Law” for job security.
- It is indispensable to have understanding and support from a wide range of
people, as well as the active participation of union members in Policies/System
activities to realize these priority issues. RENGO will conduct national appeal
movements in the form of mass rallies with affiliated organizations and local
RENGO, make workplace resolutions, and conduct powerful demand activities on the
government, Diet, and political parties.
RENGO will propose its “Activities to Achieve Policies/Systems” to the
Central Executive Committee Meeting this fall before the ordinary Diet session.
II. Establishing Eleven Major Demand Policies
RENGO will establish the following eleven major demand policies that must be achieved
during FY 2004. The following three issues will be priority issues that RENGO
will strive to achieve by developing, for example, appeal movements to the people.
[Three Priority Issues]
- When compiling the budget, the government should earmark strategies including
employment measures creating more than 1.2 million jobs, strengthen the base of
the social security system, and promote investment in housing in order to reduce
unemployment and resolve life anxieties and to restore consumption. The government
should make the elimination of deflation/economic recovery the base of its economic
management and secure job stability and living standards.
Regarding the worsening of job situation, a supplementary budget with emergency
employment measures should be compiled and conducted without delay.
| [ 1 ] |
National and local governments should act in unison to compile
budgets that implement the creation of more than 1.2 million jobs, stabilize employment
through large-scale skill development, support re-employment measures, and support
measures for the lives of unemployed workers.
During the compiling, each budget project should clearly specify the number of
jobs it aims to create and examine and reveal the results of their achievements.
|
| [ 2 ] |
The government will; reorganize public works projects into those
that fortify the infrastructure, cut wasteful expenditures, tax system reform
by changing to consolidated income taxation and dissolving tax profits. It will
also stimulate domestic demand by enacting job measures, fortify the social security
base, and bring about economic measures that restore consumption. |
| [ 3 ] |
The disposal of financial institutions with bad loans should proceed
systematically along with comprehensive measures against deflation, and strive
to stabilize the financial system, energize small to mid-sized businesses/local
industries, and continue financing. |
| [ 4 ] |
By carrying out these measures, achieve nominal steady growth
of 1% to 2% and reduce the unemployment rate to the mid 4% in the 2004 Fiscal
Year. |
Activity Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
Conduct Central Pep Rallies, nationwide rallies, and street campaigns
with the participation of affiliated organizations and local RENGO in order to
appeal to those who seek governmental policy changes. |
| [ 2 ] |
RENGO will demand that the government, related ministries and
agencies, political parties and law makers switch to policies that will secure
jobs and stabilize lives, and RENGO will see that every effort is made to realize
them. |
| [ 3 ] |
Activities for creating and stabilizing jobs that were discussed
at the Government-Labor-Management Employment Promotion Council and at each prefectural
government-labor-management council will be promoted. Further, labor-management
meetings at affiliated organizations will discuss stabilization and job creation.
|
| [ 4 ] |
Each union will intensify labor-management discussions on job
stability and security. Also, unions will facilitate improvement and the concluding
of labor agreements regarding human resources clauses with prior consultation. |
- The goal of pension system reform in 2004 is to maintain two-storied basic
pension and remuneration-based pension, as well as benefit levels, and to resolve
evisceration within the system. To do this, the government should establish a
system that will guarantee the people’s security and trust by increasing
government liability for basic pensions to one half and decreasing insurance fees
to shift basic pensions to taxation methods.
| [ 1 ] |
Expand social insurance coverage to workers at businesses with
less than five employees and to part-time workers. |
| [ 2 ] |
Set up a system to enroll in the employee pension plan without
interruption to save recipient’s right to retirement pensions, disability
pensions, and survivor’s annuities even when one is out of work. |
| [ 3 ] |
Pension reserves should be gradually reduced in scale. They should
be safely invested for example in government bonds and financed to pensioners,
and responsibility for investment results should be clarified. |
Activity Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
Reflect RENGO’s opinions at the Social Security Council Pension
Committee of Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, and at Ministry sponsored pension
talk rallies until the submission of a pension bill at the Diet session, March
2004. |
| [ 2 ] |
RENGO will prepare explanatory materials for RENGO pension reform
principles. It will hold symposiums at its headquarters and in each regional bloc.
Affiliated organizations/ local RENGO will hold study meetings. |
| [ 3 ] |
Consider compiling resolutions at workplaces that seek increases
in government liability for basic pensions and maintain benefit levels. Also appeal
for RENGO pension reform demands at pep rallies and raise public opinion to achieve
these goals. |
- To achieve employment stability and equal treatment for labor conditions,
the government should enact “Part-time/Fixed-term Labor Law” and “Labor
Contract Law” (tentative). Further, promote ratification of ILO Convention
111: the elimination of employment and occupation discrimination, as well as Convention
175: comparable conditions for part-time workers as those of full-time workers.
| [ 1 ] |
Formulate a “Part-time/ Fixed-term Labor Law” that seeks
equal treatment principles and job stability for atypical work such as part-time,
fixed-term and dispatch work. Promote ratification of ILO Convention 111: elimination
of discriminatory employment and occupation treatment, and Convention 175: comparable
conditions for part-time workers as those of full-time workers. |
| [ 2 ] |
Enact a “Labor Contract Law” which will cover stipulations
for recruitment, relocations, temporary transfers, resignation, and dismissals.
Promote ratification of ILO Convention 158 (Employer Initiated Termination.) |
Activity Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
Submit bills sponsored by opposition parties lawmakers to the
Diet. |
| [ 2 ] |
Each unit union will intensify labor-management consultations
to attain equal treatment in labor conditions. At the same time, proceed with
improvement of labor agreements using examples from the RENGO Guidelines on Labor
Agreement Model to respond to the sale of the business/corporate divisions. |
| [ 3 ] |
Taking into account the outcome of the Council scheduled in 2003
fall, each local RENGO regional bloc will hold study sessions and symposiums to
propagate RENGO ideas. |
RENGO will seek fulfillment of the following Major Issues through demand activities
to be carried out on the administration, Diet and political parties while holding
rallies, symposiums and study sessions under the combined auspices of affiliated
organizations and local RENGO.
- In order to make certain that fair working hour management at businesses is
carried out the government should fortify working hour management education/guidance,
enforce official supervision, and eradicate unpaid overtime work.
| [ 1 ] |
Labor standard inspectors should be strengthened. Labor hour legislation
violations should be strictly detected and corrected. |
| [ 2 ] |
Study legislation to set a 150 hour ceiling restriction to achieve
1800 working hour. |
| [ 3 ] |
Review businesses that have been excluded from the limits in Article
36 (overtime/holiday work agreement) of the Labor Standards Law. Secure effectiveness
in application of penal restrictions for business owners who violate regulations. |
Activity Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
Affiliated organizations and unit unions will intensify working
hour management as an all-year issue to eliminate unpaid overwork. |
| [ 2 ] |
Local RENGO will raise public opinion through “Open Consultation
Labor Hotline” and social campaigns, along with demand activities and dealing
with Prefectural Labor Bureaus. |
| [ 3 ] |
Along with these movements at workplaces and localities, urge
the administration, Diet, and political parties to achieve RENGO’s demands.
|
- The government should radically revise the Child-Care and Nursing Care Leave
Law under review in 2004 to the “Career and Home Balance Assistance Law”
to make child nursing leave obligatory. Ratify related ILO Conventions: Convention
171 concerning Night Work, Convention 183 concerning Maternity Protection as soon
as possible.
| [ 1 ] |
Treat child and family nursing leaves as a right. |
| [ 2 ] |
Apply the Child-Care and Nursing Care Leave Law to fixed-term
workers (including part-time and dispatch workers) who have been excluded from
its application. |
| [ 3 ] |
Make a “short working hour system for child care/nursing
care,” currently optional, mandatory for business owners. That child care
system should be compulsory until the child reaches junior high school age. |
Activity Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
RENGO seeks to achieve its policies by pressing its demands on
the government and policy consultations and coordination with the ruling and opposition
parties. Strive to reflect RENGO’s ideas through deliberations and policy
consultations at the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry, Cabinet Office Council
for Gender Equality, and various expert panels. |
| [ 2 ] |
RENGO will hold study sessions and symposiums at each local RENGO
block to get across its ideas to people with cooperation from local RENGO. |
| [ 3 ] |
To advance forward thinking labor agreements to each unit union,
affiliated organizations should hold study sessions and internal discussions on
labor agreements relating to child/nursing care and enter into labor agreements
that include child/nursing leaves. |
- To establish a safe, patient-oriented medical system, the government should
realize the following medical care system reforms: reduce the burden of self-pay
medical expenses to 20%; strengthen the function of insurers including the participation
of labor and management representatives in the running of government-run health
insurance; shift to a comprehensive, fixed-rate medical examination fee system.
Further, revision of medical examination fees in FY 2004 should reflect wage/price
trends.
| [ 1 ] |
New medical care for seniors should discontinue an insurance system
for the elderly and newly establish “health insurance system for the retired”
which will be sustained by employee insurances. |
| [ 2 ] |
Establish patient-oriented medical care system by thorough medical
information disclosure including legislating medical record/receipt* disclose,
and fortify a security management system of medical care/medical products. (*Doctors
should write fee receipts that report the name and amount of medications and medical
treatments prescribed, in order to receive fixed medical fees for each medication
and treatment from insurers.) |
| [ 3 ] |
Realize a system where efficient, high quality medical care is
provided through: function-sharing and enhanced cooperation at medical institutions
by systemizing family physicians, improve emergency medical care and pediatric
care systems, and improve the quality of healthcare professionals. |
Activity Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
RENGO will work to prepare explanatory materials and hold symposiums
for early realization of medical care system reform to include: reorganization
of insurers and fortification of their function, a medical consultation fee system,
a medical care system for the elderly, and medical care provision systems. |
| [ 2 ] |
RENGO, affiliated organizations and local RENGO, seek to eliminate
‘fraudulent’ medical expense claims by medical institutions and will
continue their “Get a Receipt Campaign” and new work on “Medical
Fee Receipt Disclosure.” |
| [ 3 ] |
Shore up approaches to the Central Social Insurance Medical Council
while coordinating with reimbursement organizations such as the National Federation
of Health Insurance Societies and Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)
keeping in mind FY 2004 medical consultation fee revisions. Also provide information
to affiliated organizations and local RENGO regarding the status of deliberations
at the Central Social Insurance Medical Council. |
- During revision of the Long-Term Care Insurance System planed to be conducted
five years after legislation is implemented, the government, to upgrade nursing
care service, should expand the system to those who may be insured so that people
over 20 years of age will be covered and radically intensify measures for low-income
earners. The government should also improve and implement the “Gold Plan
21” and formulate a new Gold Plan that focuses on improving and expanding
in-home services.
| [ 1 ] |
Improve geographically-distributed small-sized facilities to support
in-home nursing care towards improving local nursing-care services. |
| [ 2 ] |
Consolidate the systems to conduct the following: have local municipalities
appoint businesses that plan on the functional enhancement of insurers; secure
care management impartiality; see that home health care helpers perform ‘medical
practices’ such as vacuuming up sputum and measuring blood pressure. |
Activities Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
RENGO will incorporate its principles at the Social Security Council’s
Long-term Care Insurance Subcommittee. In the meantime, it will raise public awareness
through symposiums co-hosted by citizens’ organizations / Non-Profit Organizations,
as well as through local discussion rallies. |
| [ 2 ] |
Local RENGO will participate in long-term care insurance managerial
councils at prefectures/local authorities and in the formulation process of ‘local
health and welfare plans for the elderly.’ |
- In order to correct unfair burdens in the FY 2004 tax reforms, the government
will not conduct one-sided reforms which would increase burdens on household budgets,
but clarify the rights and responsibilities of tax payers and establish a tax
system that sustains real decentralization of power from the central to local
governments.
| [ 1 ] |
When revising personal exemptions, take care so that household
budgets should not bear a one-sided increase keeping the nature of deduction in
mind. To do that, abolition of the Special Spousal Exemption (an allowance added
to the spouse exemption) scheduled for implementation in January 2004 should be
substituted with a joint filing system, the abolition should be temporarily frozen
until the economy recovers. |
| [ 2 ] |
Make a system of rent/mortgage interest deductions as tax reform
to boost the economy. |
| [ 3 ] |
Shift income tax revenue to local governments and set individual
resident taxes at a proportional tax rate of 10% in order to secure a tax/revenue
base for sustaining decentralization. To implement that, alter the income tax
rate so that the combined rate of income and residence taxes is the same as before
the revenue transfer. |
| [ 4 ] |
Clarify the rights and duties of tax payers and correct inequitable
taxation by expanding items to be deducted for specified expenditures and introduce
a system whereby people can choose between a self-assessed tax system and an income
withholding system for salary earners. |
Activities Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
RENGO will try to inject its ideas into the government’s
Tax Commission and conduct demand activities on political parties, ministries
and agencies. |
| [ 2 ] |
RENGO and its affiliated organizations working in close coordination
will object to tax reform that only raises the burdens on household economies
such as the abolition of the Special Spousal Exemption. We will conduct appeals
that seek the creation of a system to deduct rent/ mortgage interest. |
| [ 3 ] |
In order to facilitate the transfer of revenue sources from the
national to local governments, Local RENGO will use demand activities to urge
local governments to demand that the central government implement the transfer
of revenue sources. |
| [ 4 ] |
To raise union member awareness and knowledge of taxes, RENGO
will work on its “filing tax returns/claiming tax refunds’ campaign.
|
- When reforming the public servant system, the government should realize reform
for a transparent, democratic system based on ILO recommendations in order to
establish basic labor rights. Conduct special public institution reforms that
meet the needs of the daily lives of its citizens by seeking: a ban on amakudari
(placing high ranking bureaucrats in well-paying private sector jobs); and seeking
transparent, fair and efficient management. Also ratify ILO Convention 105 (Abolition
of Forced Labor) as early s possible.
| [ 1 ] |
Guarantee the three major rights of labor (to organize, to bargain
and to act collectively) for general public servants; make collective bargaining/labor
contracts that will cover decisions on working conditions and job performance.
|
| [ 2 ] |
Amakudari by public servants to private firms should be
prohibited in principle. Public servants who change jobs to enter not only private
firms but also special public institutions or independent administrative institutions
should report to ‘third parties’ and be subjected to strict screening
procedures. |
| [ 3 ] |
Thoroughly disclose information including the composition of finances
with regard to special public institution and public-interest corporation reforms.
For institutions and corporations regarded as having completed their missions,
proceed with consolidation while sufficiently considering job issues based on
thorough labor-management consultations. |
Activities Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
Seek thorough labor-management consultations with the government
and the Headquarters for Administrative Reform and hold intensive discussions. |
| [ 2 ] |
Intensify demand activities on the ruling and opposition parties.
Especially beef-up consultations with the Liberal Democratic Party’s Special
Committee on Public Service Personnel System Reform and the Democratic Party of
Japan’s Public Service Personnel System Project. |
| [ 3 ] |
Hold pep rallies nationwide lead by RENGO headquarters and local
RENGO. Conduct petition activities in conjunction with the rallies. |
- When reviewing the Fundamental Education Law, the government should focus
discussions on national consensus. At the same time, it should formulate a basic
educational promotion plan reflecting “RENGO 12 Proposals for Educational
Reform” which is financially supported.
| [ 1 ] |
Enrich support systems locally for parenting/the ‘growing’
of children. |
| [ 2 ] |
Promote fewer students in classrooms and enlarge the discretionary
power of schools. |
| [ 3 ] |
Promote schools that are open to local communities and guardians. |
| [ 4 ] |
Enhance education that cultivates views on work and career, and
gender equality. |
| [ 5 ] |
Weave the promotion of lifetime learning by emphasizing the quality
and depth of life into a basic educational promotion plan. |
Activities Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
RENGO headquarters will conduct demand activities to realize “RENGO
12 Proposals for Educational Reform” on related ministries, political parties,
the National Congress of Parents and Teachers Association of Japan, employers’
organizations and others. |
| [ 2 ] |
Local RENGO will hold study groups and symposiums on the “RENGO
Proposals for Educational Reform” and reports prepared by the Central Council
for Education (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
reviewing the Fundamental Education Law at every regional bloc or local RENGO.
Also conduct demand activities on Prefectural Governors, education boards, PTA
boards, and employers associations while adding local education issues to “RENGO
12 Proposals for Educational Reform.” |
- The government will create and enforce effective measures to prevent global
warming meeting goals to ‘cut Greenhouse gas emissions by 6% of the 1990
levels,’ as specified in the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.
| [ 1 ] |
Based on national consensus promptly formulate an effective ‘plan
to achieve Kyoto Protocol targets’ with citizen participation and work on
realizing the Kyoto Protocol. |
| [ 2 ] |
Local municipalities will formulate and promptly implement ‘regional
promotion plans for global warming policies’ setting greenhouse gas emission
reduction goals in each area based on citizen participation. To firm up this regional
plan, set up ‘Centers for Climate Change Actions’ in every prefecture.
(Currently only 13 prefectures have been installed nationwide.) |
Activities Procedures
| [ 1 ] |
RENGO will request that the government formulate an effective
‘plan to achieve Kyoto Protocol targets’ and take measures to secure
a budget to realize the plan. |
| [ 2 ] |
In conjunction with local RENGO, RENGO will conduct activities
locally including setting up ‘Centers for Climate Change Actions’ in
each prefecture and holding ‘Environment Symposiums.’ |
| [ 3 ] |
Set aside July-August as joint action month; RENGO and affiliated
organizations will work for “RENGO Eco-Life 21” in close coordination.
Further, to expand the Lifestyle Reexamination campaign, RENGO will continue to
attend the Lifestyle Reexamination Forum 2003 and seek to hold a forum at Tokyo
in December in cooperation with consumer groups and environmental NGOs. |
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