“Firing temp workers is a crime by companies” ? It is time for trade unions to be at the forefront of finger-pointing”

On January 15, 2009, a “Fundamentally Revise the Worker Dispatch Law Now!” meeting was held at the Japan Education Center in central Tokyo and the venue was packed with 400 participants. The place was filled with excitement, following the success of the “Haken (dispatched workers) Village”. Many participants were moved by a story of a “villager”, who said, “I was saved by the Haken Village as I knew it on the day when I was prepared for suicide”. Yuasa Makoto, leader of the village, made the following proposal in the symposium, “The situation will be even worse. What we need to do is to pressure local governments nationwide into building shelters and opening consultation services. Koyano Takeshi, Takeshi Koyano, secretary general of Japan Construction and Trasport Industry Workers Solidarity Union, appealed, “Firing temporary workers before the termination of their contracts is the most serious crime committed by companies in postwar Japan. We, as a trade union, pursue the responsibility of big businesses as our role”. The epoch-making meeting was gathered by Rengo (Japanese Trade Union Confederation), Zenroren (National Confederation of Trade Unions) and Zenrokyo trade union confederation across their policy boundaries.


「派遣切りは企業による犯罪」～労働組合は責任追及の先頭に立とう


　1月15日、「やっぱり必要！派遣法抜本改正」集会が日本教育会館で開かれ、会場あふれる400人が集まった。派遣村の成功を受けて会場は終始、熱気と感動に包まれた。「自殺を覚悟した日に偶然派遣村を知り救われた」という「村民」の話では、涙をぬぐう人が多かった。メインのシンポジウムで（写真）、湯浅誠村長は「これから事態はもっと深刻になる。いまやることは全国の自治体に働きかけてシェルターと相談窓口を作らせることだ」と提起した。また小谷野全日建書記長は「派遣切りは戦後最大の企業による犯罪。大企業の責任を追及するのがわれわれ労働組合の仕事だ」と訴えた。集会には連合・全労連・全労協が垣根をこえて集まり、画期的集いとなった。