RENGO held the 34th Central Committee Meeting on November 17 and ratified the 2001 Spring Struggle principles.
During this long economic slump, businesses tried to recover by making the reduction of labor costs a priority, effectively leaving employment and the workers' standard of living behind. This retards real business recovery through rebuilding consumer spending. It is in these circumstances that RENGO will organize the 2001 Spring Struggle as a struggle for comprehensive improvement of labor conditions.

At the 2001 Spring Struggle, RENGO will fight for both employment and pay hikes, with the four following main issues: wage increases, shorter working hours, policy/system reform, and securing employment and work rules.

In the struggle for wage increases, each affiliate organization will set up their own specific demands based on their actual wage and industry conditions, in accordance with the demand standard of "a real raise over 1%." Also, they will demand that all the part-time workers receive pay increases as well as seek their equal treatment.
Further, all unions will strive to improve the premium rate for overtime work and to establish of a system that secures continuous employment after age 60. Additionally, unions go for achieving workers demands on policies/systems by focusing on the creation of jobs and the reinforcement of the foundation of social security.

With nearly half a century of history behind it, the Spring Struggle is at a turning point at the dawn of the century. During our struggle in 2001, we will aim for the tangible establishment of "fair distribution and working rules" and "minimum regulations and a safety-net" as the first step in our goal of building a "labor-centered, welfare-oriented society" for the 21st century. Through these Spring Struggle reforms, we will play a major part both in the spreading of wage levels to the general labor market including unorganized workers and in the correction of differentials.

RENGO will set up the Spring Struggle Headquarters immediately after this Central Committee Meeting and face the struggle head on next spring.

The important items that are directly linked to working citizens, such as revised bills on the Health Insurance Law and the Medical Service Law, a supplementary budget and so forth, are now undergoing discussions at the current 150th extraordinary Diet session. The government and ruling parties by sheer weight of numbers continue to strong-arm their plans without giving any heed to the voice of people. And yet, as clearly indicated by the severely declining approval rates of the present Cabinet, the people have given up on the Mori administration. Now is the time to change politics and rebuild the framework for employment and our living standard.

"Fight Together: Living Standards and Wages" Let all Join the 2001 Spring Struggle from every workplace and local area. Let us fortify the negotiating power of the affiliates and unit unions and hew out a perspective for a bright and promising 21st century with the "might and action" of eight million unionists.