2/16 Tokyo Collective Action: Joint Action Held With Non-Permanent and Foreign Workers

On February 16th, I covered and participated in the Tokyo Collective Action, a joint action involving the unions and individuals in the disputes against the layoffs and attempts to crush unionism. Unions included the Keihin Hotel Union, who had been fighting hotel closure by running the hotel independently of management, and Brazilian workers from the Kanagawa City Union (see photo). Others were also present such as Tsutomu Yoshioka, involved in the dispute against the use of contract workers who do not have the benefits of labor hire workers, Fukuzou Honda, a worker who was laid off during his trial period, and the National Railway Workers, who have been fighting for over 22 years against the privatization of rail. Those involved in the Toyota Philippines dispute also participated. It was an invigorating day and I felt that the global campaign to build joint action between non-permanent and foreign workers was gaining strength in Japan’s labor movement (Reported by Osamu Kimura).

2・16東京総行動～非正規・外国人労働者との共同行動すすむ
　2月16日、全ての争議組合・個人が共同して首切り・組合つぶしと闘う東京総行動に参加、取材しました。ホテル閉鎖に対して自主営業で闘ってきた京品ホテル労働組合、そして神奈川シティユニオンのブラジル人労働者（写真）がいました。また、偽装請負と闘う吉岡力さん、試用期間中解雇と闘う本田福蔵さん、分割民営化から22年を数える国鉄労働者。そしてフィリピン・トヨタの闘い等々。しだいに日本の労働運動が非正規、外国人労働者そして国際的な共同行動をつくりながら、力を増しつつあることを実感させる一日でした。（木村修）