October 24: Mass meeting demands settlement of JR’s discriminatory employment practices

On October 24, a national railway meeting was held at Hibiya Yaon in Tokyo by the“Four Organisations, Four Unions”, involving, according to event sponsors, 11,200 participants principally from labour unions. Participating organisations included Kokuro, Zendoro and the plaintiffs of Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation lawsuit. The meeting heard a variety of speeches, including an inspiring speech from Satoshi Kamata, and others expressing their determination to continue the struggle. The organisations and family members affected by the dismissal travelled from as far as Hokkaido and Kyushu to participate in this event. One family said that they wanted this event to be the last, but that they couldn’t give up on their demands for employment, pensions and a settlement. Unfortunately, the event was marred by disruptive heckling from a group that opposed the political strategy of the “Four Organisations, Four Unions”, who had dropped their demand for the dismissed workers to be reinstated. Participants also demonstrated in Ginza and demanded a prompt resolution of the JR dispute.
*Photo of the organisations and family members chanting.

JR採用差別問題の解決要求実現をめざす10・24中央大集会が開かれる

　10月24日、東京・日比谷野音で国労・全動労・鉄建公団訴訟原告団など「4者4団体」が主催する国鉄集会が開かれ、労組を中心に11,200人（主催者発表）が集まった。呼びかけ人の鎌田慧（かまたさとし）さんの激励挨拶や当事者の決意表明などがあった。この日、被解雇者である闘争団・家族は北海道・九州から多数上京した。ある家族は「この集会を最後にしたい。でも雇用・年金・解決金の要求はゆずれない」と語っていた。また「解雇撤回を下ろした4者4団体の政治解決路線」に反対するグループが、集会中激しいヤジを飛ばしたため騒然とする場面もあった。参会者は、銀座にデモを繰り出し、JR不採用事件の早期解決を訴えた。 ＊写真は団結ガンバローをする闘争団・家族