Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

Koga Says!
Statement on Launching Task Force on Public Servant’s Basic Labor Rights

1. The cabinet approved a decree today in accordance with the Administrative Reform Promotion Law to launch a special task force under the new Headquarters for Administrative Reform in order to "study specialized items regarding a system of public servants including the conditions of public servants' basic labour rights in accordance with the terms and nature of work and services of the central government and local public authorities – and to report on its findings to headquarters." This decision was based on a May 29th agreement reached at the government-labour discussions held between RENGO and three cabinet members.

2. Aiming to restore longstanding issues of basic labour rights for public servants, RENGO and relevant affiliates have fortified their activities over the last five years. Ever since last year’s government-labour meeting between RENGO President Takagi and Prime Minister Koizumi which took place on December 16th, RENGO and its affiliates have worked vigorously on such projects as three government-labour discussions, actions on the government/ministries/agencies, lobbying activities for the Administrative Reform Promotion Law at the Diet, responses to the ILO, and press measures. One of the results of these activities has been the establishment of this "special task force."
   Furthermore, we believe there also is a historical significance that this entity to conduct drastic reform was established now, for reform of the Japanese public servant system – especially labour-management relations in public services – which the government has¡¡ postponed for the last sixty years since the end of the war.

3. The "special task force" was established but operations leading toward reform are still in their infancy. Moreover, in discussions for reform we can imagine instances in which there will be pressure for difficult responses and this also includes the labour side.
   In this "special task force," RENGO will seek to establish a new public servant system to improve job satisfaction and morale among public servants as well as meet the various administrative needs of citizens based on the principle of establishing modern labour-management relations in public services which meet international labour standards.
   In view of its duty to represent the Japanese labour movement, RENGO will continue to work in full force across the breadth of its organization.