- The Diet convened its 156th regular session today. The session will
deliberate a supplementary spending package for fiscal 2002 and then
the government budget for fiscal 2003. Furthermore, budget-related
bills to be examined during the session include a revision bill of
the Industry Revival Law and an Industrial Revitalization Corporation
bill. The following bills are expected to be introduced for deliberation:
a revision bill of the Labour Standards Law aimed at reviewing fixed-term
labour contracts; bills concerning work rules, such as an revision
bill of the Employment Agencies Law; Employment Stability Law revision
bill; privacy-protection bills to safeguard personal data held by
government offices; and bills designed to defend the country against
direct military attacks. Rengo has been working to introduce a Part-time
and Fixed-term Workers bill.
- There is talk of a "March crisis" - a rush of corporate
bankruptcies at the end of fiscal 2002. It is expected that the worsening
business slump and employment situation will accelerate uneasiness
of workers. This Diet session should be seen extremely important for
economic and employment recovery for which drastic measures are necessary
to be taken.
- During today's Diet rally, Rengo called the Diet to re-draw up the
2003 budget in a way to beat deflation and create jobs. Rengo announced
giving the highest priority to: realising an employment- and recovery-oriented
budget; blocking passage of revision bills for the worse of the Labour
Standards Law and the Employment Agencies Law; preventing cuts in
unemployment insurance benefits; setting up a Part-time and Fixed-term
Employment Law guaranteeing equal treatment.
"This Diet session has an important mission to decide the direction
of Japan's future, in particular the life and security of Japan and
its people," said Rengo President Mr. Sasamori. He also announced:
a) It is a mission of trade unions to secure employment and living
of working people. Therefore, Rengo must make workers' voices heard
in the Diet and answered by the politics, no matter by governing or
opposition parties.
b) In the case that our demands are not realised, the economy is not
recovered and the employment situation is not made better, Rengo will
start a national movement with all workers, jobless people, employers
of closed-down small and medium enterprises, etc. and turned their
anger upon the Diet.
c) Rengo will appeal the Government to stick with peace diplomacy
- not to resort to armed force - as regards the Iraqi standoff and
emergency bills.
- All workers and their families want the current Diet session to
find a breakthrough in the living and employment crisis. During the
156th Diet session, Rengo will take all possible measure to press
the Government to shift their policies towards the recovery and the
rooting-out of uneasiness about living and jobs. In doing so, Rengo
will work with all its affiliates and members, as well as the whole
population.
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