Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

2006 Rengo Central Women’s Conference held

The 2006 Rengo Central Women’s Conference was held on October 27 and 28 in Tokyo. The main theme for this year’s Conference was ‘Creating a society and workplace where both men and women can achieve a balance between work and their private/family lives.’ There were about 1000 participants from affiliated unions and local Rengos.
Rengo President Takagi, in his speech, called for further improvements to the Gender Equal Opportunity Law so that indirect discrimination is also banned and the work/life balance goal is more clearly articulated. Rengo has been fighting for this all along, but the latest amendment to the law only includes limited examples of indirect discrimination and more actual cases must be compiled in order to make this law truly effective. President Takagi also mentioned another urgent priority: achieving employment conditions that workers can agree with and understand, by reforming regulations, especially for part-time and other workers who are working under bad conditions. The increase of such workers is one of the reasons for the growing wealth gaps in Japanese society.
Rengo Assistant General Secretary Yamaguchi gave the key note address, followed by a speech from Jissen Women’s University Professor Takashi Kashima. After this, participants split into 7 different break-out groups and discussed 3 themes: ‘Ways to fully implement the Equal Opportunity Law reforms in the workplace,’ ‘Promoting equal gender participation in the union, the workplace and society’ and Legislating for equal treatment of part time, temporary and contracted workers.’ After taking into account these discussions, appeal was adopted at the end of the Conference with ¡¡slogans such as the following: ‘Strengthen the efforts at the workplace to secure implementation of the reforms made to the Equal Opportunity Law,’ ‘Legislate for equal treatment of part time and other irregular workers’ and ‘Ensure implementation of the Rengo’s Third Plan to Promote Equal Gender Participation.’