Make Public Service Labor Relations that Meet International Standards Chairperson Leroy Trotman Visited PM Office for Demand (22 April 2003)

Photo: ILO Governing Body member Trotman explains the demand statement. (Second from far right, at PMçs official residence, Apr. 16.) On April 16, ILO (International Labour Organization) Governing Body Workers' Group Chairperson Leroy Trotman visited the Prime Ministerçs Official Residence to meet with Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda. Chairperson Trotman appealed to the Japanese government to faithfully carry out the ILOçs recommendations. Accompanying the Chairperson on his visit included RENGO President Sasamori, Vice President Maruyama and others who also strongly appealed to the government to establish public service labor relations that meet international standards. On the same day prior to the visit to the PMçs residence, RENGO and the RENGO Public Sector Liaison Council held a rally in Tokyo seeking the establishment of basic labor rights and democratic reform of the public servant system. Approximately 900 people were on hand for the rally from the public sector, private sector-affiliated organizations, and RENGO headquarters participated. They raised angry voices at the governmentçs consistently delaying action to solve basic labor right problems and its ignoring ILO recommendations. ILO Governing Body Workers' group Chairperson Leroy Trotman arrived in Japan on the 15th, just as the struggle to seek a transparent and democratic public servant reform entered its most crucial stage. In an attempt to solve public service reform problems, Trotman exchanged opinions for three days with labor union representatives, ministers from related ministries and agencies, and political parties representatives. On April 16, he visited the Prime Minister’s official residence and delivered a demand statement to Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda prepared by ILO’s 33 Worker members. Based on the demand statement, Chairman Trotman urged the Japanese government to: (1) reconsider its intention ‘to maintain current restrictions on the fundamental labor rights’ in the public service reform and (2) hold open and meaningful consultations with labor unions. On the same day, he also attended the rally for establishing of basic labor rights and democratic reform of public servant system, organized by RENGO and the RENGO Public Sector Liaison Council. In his speech he said, “although it is preferable that this problem be handled as a domestic problem,” the ILO is prepared to take this to a much higher level of debate within the ILO if legislation is changed for worse. In response to the government’s statement that the ILO’s recommendation was issued from background of “misunderstanding,” Trotman said, “the recommendations that were submitted were based on information provided by the Japanese government itself. If the government says this is not agreeable, the ILO will be forced to conduct an examination of the facts.” He left open the possibility of dispatching a fact-finding mission depending on the stance of the Japanese government.

Notes In February 2002, RENGO and the RENGO Public Sector Liaison Council filed complaints against the Japanese government to the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association regarding the issue of public servant legislation reform. In November 2002, the Committee issued a report recognizing the workers complaint saying, “the Japanese government should reconsider its stated intention to maintain current restrictions on the fundamental labor rights of public employees.” Statement on filing complaints to the ILO on the basic labor rights of public employees. Statement on ILO recommendations regarding the public servant legislation reform.

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