Movement in front of MHW and Group Petition Planned
Mass Movement for the Establishment of Secure - Reliable Social Security
(18 September 1998)

The Government is planning to present amendment bills on the Pension Law and the Medical Insurance System at the next regular Diet session in 1999. The bills are currently under deliberation at the related committees.
Preparations are now underway to implement Home Nursing Insurance in April 2000.
As a countermeasure, on September 10 at the 15th Executive Committee Meeting, RENGO, in keeping with the spirit of "The State of the Establishment of Secure - Reliable Social Security," resolved to step up its lobbying efforts on the committees while at the same time push for mass movements.

  1. RENGO works with affiliates for Mass Movements

(1) Movements held in front of MHW in response to the pension committee's discussion. (Responding to the committee's schedule after 9/16, 9/21 and also the October sessions. Movements by loudspeaker trucks, rallies, sit-ins in front of MHW, picket signs etc.)
(2) Group Petitioning the Government. (Petitions conducted at unit unions from October to November, collected by early December) Participating groups include constituent organizations - unit unions, local RENGO - local councils/non-member affiliates. Request cooperation with the "National Congress for the Establishment for Secure - Reliable Social Security"(tentative).
(3) Hold symposiums (September - November)

    1. "Reform the Pension System!" To be discussed in groups. (Women's group - 9/26, Youth group - 10/3, Senior's group - 10/19)
    2. Symposium discussing Medical Insurance System reform (To be held in November).
    3. Hold symposiums through local liaison councils/local RENGO relating to the Social Security System (from October to December).

 

  1. Local RENGO work mainly for group petitions and adoption of local assembly resolutions and/or written responses regarding pensions, medical care and home nursing at the local assemblies.
  2. At the beginning of next year, RENGO plans to shift its focus by responding to the 1999 regular Diet session in order to push forward with a national movement. RENGO will propose the details at the Central Executive Committee Meeting in December.
  3. RENGO also works for the Establishment of Secure - Reliable Social Security (pension, medical care and home nursing). To achieve this, RENGO plans to organize a "National Congress for the Establishment of Secure - Reliable Social Security"(tentative) to cooperate with each social class nationally within the year.

Joint Proposal to Establish Government-Labor-Management
Employment Promotion Council with Nikkeiren
(18 September 1998)

Having resolved its course of employment measures, RENGO along with the Japan Federation of Employers' Association (Nikkeiren) submitted a joint proposal to Labor Minister Amari on September 16 requesting to establish an "Employment Promotion Council of Government-Labor-Management."

President Washio, Deputy President Enomoto, General Secretary Sasamori of RENGO and President Nemoto of Nikkeiren attended the meeting with Labor Minister Amari. At the meeting, the Labor Minister, replying to President Washio's previous comment urging the early establishment of the council, showed a keen interest for the idea saying, "The promotion of employment cannot be achieved only by Government and Labor. If Government, Labor, and Management could all get together and discuss the issue, then there would be progress."

The outline of the request:

 It is feared that Japan's unemployment problem will worsen unless worries over the Japanese economy's future are not dispelled.

Both Labor and Management plan to concentrate on making greater efforts for the stabilization and creation of employment starting with the development of new industries and projects. We would like to invite the government to promote the stabilization and creation of employment measures in cooperation with us.
We implore the Government to urgently establish a "Government-Labor-Management Employment Promotion Council" (tentative) with the related cabinet members, and to improve conditions in which proper economic and employment measures would be planned and executed in a responsive manner. Moreover, we strongly desire that the council influence "the Office of Industrial Structure Conversion and Employment Promotion's" policy.

  1. The establishment of a "Government-Labor-Management Employment Measures Council" (tentative), with representatives from each sector to cope with national problems of stabilization and the creation of jobs until the current situation improves.
  2. This council should be organized by the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Labor Minister, the Minister of International Trade and Industry, and related cabinet members if necessary, the President of Nikkeiren, and the President of RENGO.
  3. Said council will discuss definite measures, namely to improve labor market conditions, employability etc. for the stabilization/creation of jobs, and to discuss each party's role in Government, Labor, and Management, in the hope that the results of which will be reflected in the Government's measures.

Stop Faulty Pension and Medical Care Amendment
5000 Attend 98 National Seniors Rally at Tokyo Int'l Forum
(18 September 1998)
The Japanese Federation of Seniors and Retired Workers Unions held its 98 National Seniors Rally on September 15, coinciding with the national holiday, Respect for the Aged Day. Approximately 5,000 participants representing retired, seniors and silver unions related to constituent organizations and local RENGO all over Japan gathered at the Tokyo International Forum under the slogan, "Build a Social Welfare System for a Comfortable Life."

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