Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

Great East Japan Earthquake: RENGO Demands to the Government to Take Urgent Measures for Employment and Labour-Related Issues

On March 25, RENGO representatives met Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Ritsuo Hosokawa and Parliamentary Vice-Minister Masao Kobayashi, to demand to the government to take urgent measures in relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake.

In the beginning of the meeting, RENGO Assistant General Secretary Hisashige Danno expressed that it is indeed a matter of course to make a presently urgent response to the damages and victims, but it is also demanded to show a vision for the future which will enable the sufferers to have a hope. Executive Director of Working Conditions Department Nobuyuki Shintani explained each item of the demands.

The Minister and the Parliamentary Vice-Minister told that they appreciate the demands made by RENGO from various points of view and promised to examine the demands sincerely in the Ministry and reply at a later date how they are dealing with each item of the demands. In this connection, they expressed their hope to closely exchange views with RENGO and cooperate with each other.

• Intensified arrangements at evacuation sites and other places to provide, on a one-stop basis, support for job seekers, advice on the procedures of employment insurance and workers’ accident compensation insurance, advice on work-related issues like wage and dismissal, advice on mental health and other services.
• The widest possible publicity and/or examination of necessary review of the exiting special measures for unemployment benefits of employment insurance.
• The widest possible publicity of the exiting special measures for employment adjustment subsidy system, easing of requirements for them and raising the level of them.
• Toward restoration of the disaster-stricken areas, support for building of strategic industries which will create employment in the areas.
• An early enactment of a “bill to support job seekers”, and the establishment of official bases for human resources development training in the disaster-stricken areas.