Labor Movement under the Global Economic Crisis and International Solidarity
What is the urgent task of labor unions?

National Railway Motive Power Union of Chiba

Welcome to this international solidarity rally.

We are very thankful for your enthusiastic international solidarity: Over 40 members from KCTU Seoul Regional Council, the delegations from the United States and Germany and many representatives of foreign workers in Japan are here. The delegate of Conlutas from Brazil, who are prevented from coming to Japan by illness, sent us a solidarity message. Also the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association—a ground crew union—sent us a message. In firm solidarity with you, we work hard to revive a militant labor movement here in Japan.

We are now experiencing a tremendous change of the world. As the economic crisis engulfs the world today, a total eruption of a crisis is nearing in Japan. Japan’s fiscal deficit is now the worst in the world as a result of the repeated huge public spending for rescue of big corporations. Two decades of neoliberal attacks forced one out of every four workers into poverty. Not only wage and employment, but also all the aspects of social life—education, health care, pension etc.—are collapsing.

The Kan administration of the Democratic Party of Japan is now aiming to fire millions of public service workers and force them to take irregular jobs.

The recent conflict between Japan and China over “Senkaku” (Diaoyu) Islands demonstrates that escalating competition over natural resources, market and sphere of influence is now developing into a territorial conflict, which in turn spurs a campaign for constitutional revision to turn Japan into a military power and for strengthening of Japan US Security Alliance and the military bases in Okinawa. Spreading chauvinist and nationalist propaganda is now creating a new Fascist movement.

In these circumstances, the established labor movement is caving in and degenerating unrestrained. Therefore, it is urgent for us to create a genuine labor movement. Although our power is still very weak, we have been squarely confronting with these adverse circumstances.

The division and privatization of the Japan National Railways in 1987 led the sweeping neoliberal policies all across Japanese society. As many as 200,000 rail workers were chased from their workplaces and Kokuro, the then pivotal union in Japanese labor movement, was reduced from 240,000 strong union to 40,000. The then national trade union center, Sohyo, and the Socialist Party, which abandoned to organize any effective fightback against the privatization of JNR, were driven to dissolution. Thus, over 10 million workers have been driven into irregular jobs since then.

Only Doro-Chiba waged strikes against the privatization of JNR and defended unity of membership. The struggle for withdrawal of dismissal of 1,047 rail workers was born from these strikes. Many workers of every industry from across the country have joined this 1,047 rail workers’ struggle. This struggle has constituted the decisive and pivotal counterforce against neo-liberalism.

This year, the government focused its attack on breaking down of this struggle. In return for some money, the leaders of two railway unions accepted the settlement plan that openly stated, “the privatization of JNR brought about tremendous benefits for our people” and terminated the struggle.

The “settlement” will invite more and more massive attacks on workers and labor unions. We decided to continue our struggle, held a nation-wide rally in June and launched a new Nation-wide Movement of National Railway Struggle to achieve withdrawal of the dismissal and to fight back privatization and union busting. This movement is a tremendous endeavor, in which we rebuild labor unions from scratch and establish a nation-wide network of workplaces and communities. We have no silver bullet for it. However, only through this effort we can build a genuine labor movement that fights in the global economic crisis.

Our workplaces in Japan Railway Companies are embroiled in bitter fight. The main focus is the outsourcing of railway jobs to hundreds of contractors and sub-contractors with rail workers transferred. Jobs and safety are about to be destroyed.

So-called “Outsourcing Revolution” goes hand-in-hand with privatization. It constitutes a central neoliberal attack on workers. Numerous workers have been driven to irregular jobs, many unions were destroyed and poverty increased dramatically. Japanese labor unions could not fight back this attack. Rather, they served for it.

The full-fledged outsourcing of the Japan Railways East Company (JR East) started in 1999. Since then, we have completely blocked the outsourcing in Chiba area for 10 years by agonizing struggles. In October last year, however, the JR Company launched a program of wholesale outsourcing of innumerable workplaces. We waged five strikes from last fall to spring this year and won a great victory. We stopped the outsourcing not only in Chiba area, but also in whole areas under JR East!

Now, it is time to the decisive battle again. We will launch a new struggle from this fall on to next spring. Without struggle against outsourcing, we cannot win a struggle for withdrawal of dismissal. Without struggle against privatization and outsourcing, we cannot revive labor movement. This battle is very decisive for the future of labor movement.

Now, we are winning another great victory. Since July, the co-sponsor of tomorrows’ rally, Kan-Nama (Solidarity Union of Japan Construction and Transport Workers, Kansai Area Branch) has waged a four-month strike against the huge general contractors, which have been so to say the rulers of Japan. Kan-Nama organizes workers of hundreds of small and micro enterprises in ready-mix concrete industry dominated by monopoly capitals of general contractors and cement producers. Under the global economic crisis, majority of such enterprises were on the verge of bankruptcy. In these circumstances, Kan-Nama decided to launch a strike. The workers shut down all the construction sites in Osaka area—the second largest metropolitan area in Japan. After three months, all the general contractors caved in to the powerful pressure of strike and accepted the union’s demand. It is a historic victory of about 1800 workers of small and micro enterprises who organized an industry-wide strike, drawing in other unions and even the owners of the small and micro enterprises against gigantic monopoly capital.

Almost all of labor leaders are degenerated to go to the rescue of capital believing that fightback is impossible. However, just because we face global economic meltdown, workers’ fightback is necessary.

Workers are waking up under fierce enemy attacks; enormous strikes and demonstrations are erupting all over the world. What is needed is organizing struggles in workplaces in defiance of established labor leaders who degenerate more and more, yielding to the crisis. The struggle of united workers is the driving force of social transformation. Workers’ unity has a power to make the history. Get back our unity! Revive our labor unions!

We have many difficulties to overcome. However, angry voices echo in every corner of the society; innumerable workers desire fundamental change. They have been repeatedly betrayed by politicians and labor leaders. But they have not yet recognized their own power to change the world. Our task is to promote awareness that the struggles of each worker and of united workers are the only power to fundamentally change the society. We must organize angry voices, strategize and revive labor unions.

These objectives cannot be achieved without two efforts: daily and steady organizing in our workplaces and international workers’ solidarity. We have learnt a lot from Korean comrades from KCTU and American comrades from ILWU and UTLA. They have greatly inspired and encouraged us. We are more and more convinced: “Workers united will never be defeated.”
Worker of all countries, Unite!

Thank you very much.

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Chon Jefun / Vice president of Seoul regional council of KCTU

Comrades who gathered here to strengthen the working class unity and the international solidarity! I’m very glad to meet you. I’m Chon Jefun, vice president of Seoul regional council of KCTU. Here is my heartfelt greetings to you: Tu jaeng.
Tu jaeng!

South Korea acts as chair country of G-20 which will take place from November 11 to 12. Stepping up crackdowns on workers, President Lee Myung bak are eager to help capitalists of the world make more profit.
Invoking Special Security Act, he mercilessly tramples down people’s desire for democracy which was shown in the Candle Struggle of 2008.

From the outset of taking office, Lee Myung bak administration has been yelling out new industrial policy and recently enforced the legislation of the Time-off System and is now planning to curtail the role of full-time union activists. Its aim is to hinder solidarity struggle and tie down the activist to the Enterprise labor union to uproot the foundation of KCTU through tying down union activists to the system of company union. The government does not approve the establishment of construction workers’ union and transport workers’ union on the ground that irregular workers are participated in these unions. The government also refuses to accept the notification of establishment of Public workers’ union on the ground that laid-off workers are organized in this union. Increasing short time work and dispatch work, the government is seeking to promote labor-market flexibility.

In the name of modernization of public sector, the government is stepping up overall crackdowns (abolishment of the collective bargaining, etc) on public sector labor unions: , such as railway union, urban railway union, electric generation union, National Pension Plan Corporation union. If the public sectors are privatized, it becomes difficult to supply the sufficient public service and its quality will be deteriorate in compliance with market principles. Even now there are many people who can’t get the public service. If the public sectors are privatized, workers will not keep very low standard living.

Now in South Korea, many irregular workers are fighting at the risk of their lives. Workers of Kiryung Electronics and Donghui Auto are besieging the factories against dispatch work system, contemporary slavery. The struggles of irregular workers such as study-aid book workers, construction and transport workers, who are not officially approved as worker and oppressed by the government, are continuing. Seoul regional council of KCTU is organizing Joint Besieging Group to support these struggles and spreading the struggle over the entire area of Seoul region.

Capitalist strategy is to bypass regularly-employed workers of big factories and to find way in increasing part-time, temporary workers or irregularly-employed workers, such as dispatch workers for their survival. Democratic labor movement, however, has failed to fight back this capitalist offensive and ended in allowing division and classification among workers. Only way to confront the enemy attack is to strengthen unity and solidarity of workers. It is urgently required to bring together those workers who are separated among big corporations and medium and small enterprises, regular and irregular jobs, men workers and women workers to fight against the common enemy.

Capital and government are suppressing not only workers but also vast number of people. They are forcing several kind of sequestration or evacuation for their profit: street merchants are forcibly swept away by the name of environmental purification, “rough sleepers” are driven into camps during the period of G20 to be held in Seoul in November. Immigrant workers are under severe and extreme repression. They are regarded and treated as criminals and threatened to expulsion. Horrible persecutions are taking place on them, causing a large number of injured and even dead among them by the police.

Since its outset, all the G20 Summit talks were nothing but banquet events of capitalists for perpetuate the exploitation system. We must change G20 in Korea. International solidarity between Korean and Japanese workers and their struggle against G20 in this month is now growing. We must turn the G20 into a forum of solidarity

We must workers intensify international solidarity struggle across the borders and thus fight back against the governments’ schemes to massively augment low wage and precarious jobs under in the guise of resurgence of capitalist economy and job security. Workers in Korea, the host country of G20, will fight at the forefront of international solidarity for workers rights, exposing the conditions of Korean workers.

Let’s forge international workers’ unity against capitalists’ exploitation and establish workers’ right to live! Let’s create an alternative world!
Tujeang!

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Kim Seung-Tae, First Vice-President of Seoul Regional Council of Korean Government Employees’ Union

Hello, I am the First Vice President of Seoul Regional Council of Korean Government Employees’ Union (KGEU), Kim Seung-Tae. On behalf of the Korean delegation, I give you Korean comradely greeting. Tujaeng! (Fight!)

KGEU represents 130,000 public employees who work in cities, counties, wards, autonomous wards and agencies of the central government and so on. The Seoul Regional Council of KGEU is the largest union in Seoul region representing 23 local unions, which represents 16,000 employees of 22 autonomous wards out of 23 and Seoul City Government.

Although the Lee Myeong-bak administration promotes in word democratic “labor relation”, its reckless repression against KGEU is now culminating.

It is shutting off of web sites of labor unions, suppression of check off of union dues, police raids and seizures of union offices, unilateral canceling of longstanding contracts, refusal of collective bargaining and so on and on.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Labor three times rejected our declaration of establishment of the new union, created by the three labor unions—KGEU, the Korean Democratic Government Employees Union and the Korean Court Workers Union—after the newly merged union decided to join the KCTU by the direct ballot of its members.

The MoL blamed the eligibility for affiliation of dismissed workers and “problematic political contents of merger.” On top of it, the MoL demanded to submit the list of all the names of 140,000 members.
Also the court is a puppet of Lee Myeong-bak administration. It outrageously dismissed our suit for withdrawal of rejection of union establishment.

Under the current Korean labor law, we can freely organize a labor union. This principle of freedom of union organizing notwithstanding, the government invoked the authorization power for the first time. The government is thus aiming to annihilate the KGEU.
It demonstrates the true nature of Lee Myeong-bak administration, flagrantly violating the international standard.

The leadership of the KGEU is fighting back against this oppression with unity and wisdom of the 140,000 union members.
Our solidarity with various labor organizations and civic and social organizations are strong and very effective to expose the true nature of Lee Myeong-bak administration. It is the pivotal force of unity of one million public workers. We will fight stronger and stronger. We shall win a victory
Tujaeng!!

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TWSC Statement For 2010 Doro-Chiba Rally

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Doro-Chiba and working people of Japan!

We stand in solidarity with your principled struggle for workers rights and for the defense of working people in Japan as well your international solidarity links and opposition to imperialist war.
Your support of the recent ILWU Local 10 initiated Oscar Grant labor community rally for the jailing of killer cops and for justice for working class Black and Latino youth is a critical issue as the repression against the working class escalates.
The brutal police repression on working class youth is part and parcel of the crisis of capitalism.
The action of ILWU Local 10 in closing the docks as well as SEIU 1021's actions by port and city workers is an example of the potential of working class response to the assaults workers and youth face.

It is also the answer to the increasing racist reactionary assaults on not only Black and Latino people but also Arab American, Muslim and increasing homophobic attacks. As the economic decline deepens, the capitalist media and the billionaires seek to pit worker against worker and use racism and xenophobia in this campaign.

They also seek to stereotype Black and Latino youth as criminals when the real criminals are those who profit off of exploitation of the working class.
Since we last spoke in Japan, millions of US workers have been dispossessed of their jobs, homes, healthcare and human rights. A major political attack is taking place on unionized public workers conditions and benefits as well as pensions.
The capitalists are seeking to make the working class pay for this crisis and as in Japan the union apparatus sees the solution as better capitalist politicians like Obama or Jerry Brown in California. These corporate controlled politicians support privatization of education and are linked together in the attack on all public workers.

Transit and transportation workers throughout the US face layoffs hurting not only the workers but all working people including those who rely on public transportation. These attacks have also increased the health and safety problems for workers and the public yet the onslaught on workers continues. The need for united action of all transportation workers to fight these attacks is crucial and our committee is working to help build this unity in action.

We also join you in your struggle against the imperial war adventures and efforts to provoke war with North Korea, China in an escalating militarization of the region. US Democratic and Republican party politicians are united in supporting military confrontations and using the military escalations to divert the attentions from their enemies at home.
We have opposed the criminal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where the US and its allies have committed massive war crimes against the people of these regions. We also supported actions to boycott the Israeli shipping lines Zim which is engaged in supporting the apartheid state of Israel. ILWU Local 10 longshore workers acted in solidarity by refusing to cross the labor community picket lines.
We join with you today to condemn these crimes and to call for working people of the world to join together in united workers action to stop this war. The task before all working people is to tie the struggle for workers rights and power along with the struggle against imperial war.
The Transport Workers Solidarity Committee TWSC stands with you in this international effort.
Victory to the world working class!
www.transportworkers.org

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Speech of Ingrid Gunnell (UTLA) on Nov. 6 International Solidarity Rally

Good afternoon! My name is Ingrid Gunnell and I am an Elementary School Teacher from Los Angeles. I am honored to be here and share in this international rally of solidarity for workers. This is my 13th year teaching. I have taught 2nd grade, Kindergarten, and SRLDP (School Readiness Language Development Program), which is a Pre-Kindergarten program. I am fortunate to say that I love my job. I love going to work and working with young children. Every day is different when you work with 4 year-olds, and they keep me busy!
I am also a mother. I have 2 sons, a 4 year-old named Gianni, and a 5 year-old named Frankie. My 5 year-old started Kindergarten this year in a public school and my 4 year-old will be in Kindergarten next year. I have always been a strong advocate for public education, but becoming a mother has given me a new perspective. I earned my Master’s Degree from a small college that focused on social justice issues. My experience at this college was transformative, and I have kept social justice at the forefront of all of my professional decisions.
The right-wing has done a very good job of turning the public against public education. In the last 10 years there has been a well-orchestrated attack against public education, teachers, and teachers unions in America. One attack came from President George W. Bush in 2002, with a name that sounds very inclusive and positive for students, the “No Child Left Behind Act.” Many
It essentially set up a system that by 2014 all students would be at grade-level in achievement based on 1 standardized test. This legislation was never fully funded by the federal government, and therefore states and local districts had to find the money to fund it, taking from other programs that benefited students such as libraries, science, athletics, arts, and music. The legislation also penalized schools and districts that weren’t reaching the federally mandated goals, labeling them failing, but not providing support to help them succeed.
This legislation didn’t take into account the great disparities between rich and poor, minority and white, urban and suburban. We could tell which students would perform well based on their zip code, which meant it was a direct indication of the parents’ income. Schools that had single-parent families, families living in poverty, homeless students, special needs students, English Language Learners, children who were born addicted to drugs… these schools had to reach the same goals that had students from wealthy families, students with health insurance, students who had access to afterschool programs such as tutors, music lessons, and sports. Politicians never took responsibility for unemployment rates, lack of healthcare, lack of early childhood education, and other factors that contribute to student success; instead they blamed schools and teachers for failure.
?Another key component to the hijacking of Public Education is the proliferation of Charter Schools. Charter Schools began as publically funded incubators of innovation in teaching students. Groups of teachers would get together and open a school which was often free from stringent regulations and teach with new techniques, curriculum, or ideas. These schools would accept all students and what was successful would be expanded to other schools, and
What has happened over the last 10 years is that a vast majority of Charter Schools have been opened by for-profit companies who view education as the last government agency that they can financially profit from. Each state in America is different when it comes to charter schools, but there are many general overarching similarities: Charter Schools don’t educate students with special needs; they don’t educate English Language Learner Students; they pick and choose who can attend, often choosing the higher achievers; they aren’t under many sections of the education code; there is little oversight of academics or financial matters; and there is a lot of discrimination.
In terms of the teaching staff, there is high teacher turnover because once a teacher has a few years of experience, and they start moving higher on the pay scale, they will suddenly get a negative evaluation and get fired. Many charter school teachers aren’t unionized and have no protections.
Additionally, these schools often get millions of dollars of private funds from people such as Bill Gates. They are then beholden to his agenda for educating students or he will take the money away and leave them starving for money. These billionaires are doing the same thing to regular public schools, which gives the government an excuse to continually underfund public education. What we are left with is underfunded schools at the mercy of billionaires. This is not democracy; this is a dictatorship in education.
Since Obama became the President, attacks against public education have increased exponentially. This is extraordinarily disheartening, since we are the very people that helped him get elected, but he has taken the education agenda of Bush and made it drastically worse. Since he’s been in office, he has appointed Secretary of Education Arne Duncan who never taught in a public school.
Charter Schools have been put on a pedestal as the greatest educational reform movement, even though numerous research studies have proven that Charter Schools do no better in raising student achievement than regular public schools. There’s a documentary movie about the positive effects of charter schools and the negative effects of teachers unions that is being heralded by many politicians and media outlets as a wake-up call for educational reform.
Merit Pay, which is teachers’ pay for performance of students on standardized tests, is being pushed as a way to make teachers care about their work. And the Los Angeles Times put a database on the internet to rate teachers from least effective to most effective. And in the face of all of these attacks, Obama has either been in agreement or remained silent. He has not defended teachers, public education, or teachers unions. It is apparent that he wants to rely on unproven reform models, media outlets, and rich corporations to reform education while leaving teachers out of the discussion.
What I found most interesting when my Japanese colleagues visited Los Angeles in the summer was the obvious similarities between our countries in the attack on public education and teachers. Together we can fight. I am honored to join you, the workers of Japan and throughout the world, in our struggle for Public Education and Workers’ Rights. Thank you.

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My name is Harold Kenneth Brown. I am a train operator rank and file member and former President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 (ATU 1555).

Labor Video http://www.blip.tv/file/4376613

On behalf of my union brothers and sisters we would like to thank you for this opportunity to participate in the international labor conference November 2010. Doro-Chiba consistently extending their hands across the waters is greatly appreciated.
As we all know the challenges we face in the fight for fair wages, work rules and conditions is more important than ever.
Under attack worldwide are our pensions, health care, employment security and the constant efforts to privatize transportation. There is absolutely no aspect of labor which is not under attack.
It is a concerted and international collaboration of the worlds’ wealthiest and most powerful to create a workforce whose labor is compensated far below the value of labors contribution.
There is a difference between living and existing, the difference being the quality of life. The ability to raise a family and fulfill all of their needs and some of their desires is the imperative. The reward one receives should be commensurate with the effort put forward.

The rich and powerful suffer from a yet to be diagnosed disease. How else can you explain the behavior of an individual who has possession of $50,000,000,000 (50B) putting the life and well being of millions behind their unquenchable greed and drive for power?
Our union was founded in 1973 by President Hank White, who today is honored as the President Emeritus. Hank ensured every work rule that protected our jobs and safety was in that first contract. That we had the best medical coverage and pay increases which reflected our valued contributions.

Union workers contributed their ideas and expertise for improvement in efficiency and performance. Management gladly accepted and implemented these ideas.
By 1979 the Bay Area Rapid Transit System (B.A.R.T.) had grown and provided the much needed service the San Francisco Bay Area required and so desperately needed.
Management rewarded our hard work by demanding concessions from us!!!
A reduction in benefits, wage freeze, increased medical cost.
When we refused to concede they locked us out, in an attempt to starve us into submission!

A bold response was initiated by our sister union SEIU 1021. A group of engineers and mechanics took over the repair shops, barricading themselves in and welding the doors shut.

This got media attention and coverage. The police decided they would starve them out instead of a violent invasion in front of the cameras!
Our SEIU brothers and sisters were not alone, two ATU 1555 train operators, the kashabi brothers, loaded their helicopter with two weeks of food and water and delivered the supplies to our brothers from the rooftop of the shops.
This bold act forced the employer to the table to bargain a fair and decent contract.

ATU 1555 and SEIU 1021 have negotiated our contract jointly ever since!
Over the years we have withstood many challenges from the employer. We have never been broken and we will never be broken. As long as there is one union member who spreads the knowledge and courage to fight not all of their money or power can break us.

The message we send out today and always is:
You will respect our labor, you will respect our value in the workforce and life. You will not feed caviar to your children while ours starve.

Today we cross the waters to join Doro-Chiba, hand in hand and together we stand strong!!!
In Unity,

Harold K. Brown

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Greetings Brothers and Sisters and Agent Provocateurs

My name is Alan Hollie Sabudo. I am a train operator, a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and a former community liaison.
I am here to show solidarity with this event and the fight of the working class. The battle of unions should not just be limited to the issues of its members, but unions must fight for the interest of the whole working class, the poor and the oppressed. We are all connected!

Unions must fight against having a narrow vision and embrace the fight of workers and the oppressed throughout the world. Workers are faced with the issues of privatization of the public sector, public resources, land and the destruction and the heath care for workers, the elderly and poor. How do we succeed forward in order to usher in a world where the working class, the poor and oppressed will benefit equally?

Brothers and sister WE must stop spending our recourses on electing the lesser of two evil politicians and start RIGHT NOW USING OUR RECOURSES TO EDUCATE OUR MEMBERS (RANK AND FILE) ON THE POWER OF OUR LABOR! Our labor creates wealth (creates commerce). Without our labor there is no commerce.

We must move onward in the fight against privatization neo-liberalism and global capitalism. So, my dedicated fellow brothers and sisters the time is NOW! Are we ready?

Thank you with love, gratitude, unity and abundant solidarity!

Alan Hollie Sabudo

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KRD Speech for the Nov. 6 Rally

Genossinen und Genossen,
Wir sind KRD, Komitee fuer Raetedemokratie , aus Deutschland.
Zuerst einmal wollen wir euch, den japanischen Genossen, zutiefst danken. Wir ,KRD, haben im Sommer dieses Jahres 3 junge aktive Genossinen nach Japan geschickt. Doro-Chiba, Zengakuren und die anderen Genossen waren ausnahmlos sehr nett und kameradschaftlich zu ihnen, nicht nur in Tokio sondern auch in Hiroshima und Nagasaki. Unsere jungen Genossinen haben jetzt viele Freunde ueberall in Japan.

Sie haben im unglaublich heissen Sommer dieses Jahres in Japan 2 Wochen lang mit den japanischen Genossen zusammengekaempft und sehr viel gelernt. Dieser Kampf war buchstaeblich schwitzig aber sehr fruchtvoll.

Die Tatsache dieser Zusammenarbeit bleibt fest in der Geschichte des japanischen Klassenkampfes aber auch des deutschen. Wir danken euch noch einmal herzlich und wir schwoeren heute hier noch einmal fest, unsere(deutsch-japanische) Danketsu weiterzuentwickeln und unsere Zusammenarbeit weiter zu vertiefen. Lernen wir gegenseitig zusammen! Kaempfen wir zusammen!

Nun spreche ich jetzt von Deutschland.
Wir kommen hierher aus einem Land, wo ein Arbeitsloser 500 Yen pro Tag fuer Essen kriegt,waehrend ein Polizeihund 700 Yen.
Wir kommen aus einem Land, wo eine Frau Merkel regiert, die die Intesessen des deutschen und internationalen Kapitals verteidigt und die imperialistische Aggressionskriege wie den Irak-Krieg sowie den Afganistan-Krieg rechtfertigt.
Wir kommen aus einem Land, wo unsere Feinde sagen: Der Klassenkampf sei zu Ende, es gaebe keinen Klassenkampf mehr.
Aber wir sagen: Der Klassenkampf hat erst angefangen.
Alle bisherigen Regierungen versuchten, die Proteste zu begraben. Aber jetzt im Morgengrauen sehen wir das erste Licht der Hoffnung.
Wir organisieren uns. Wir befinden uns im Studium des Kampfplanes.
Fuer uns gilt es, unsere Kader zu schmieden.
Heute ist der Tag vor dem Fall unserer Feinde.

Hinter uns werden Hans, Peter und Maria sein, einfache Namen wie Taro, Hanako, Takashi. Kurz: gewoehnliche Menschen und gewoehnliche Arbeiter. Unsere eigenen Haende haben die heutige Welt geschaffen: Wir sind der Meister der Gesellschaft.
Taro, Hanako, Takashi, die Bahn, die Fabrik, die Strasse usw.—alles gehoert euch.Diese Erde ist eure Erde. Das Kapital in seinem Blutrausch kann euch nicht ausrotten.
Die deutsche Arbeiterklasse wurde immer von den Sozialdemokraten und den Stalinisten verraten, und zwar nach dem ersten Weltkrieg und auch nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg. Aber die deutsche Arbeiterklasse ist dadurch weder vernichtet noch verschwunden sondern gerade zurueckgekehrt. Wir sind jetzt wieder da. Wir heben erneut die Faust. Wir sind zu euch gekommen und kaempfen zusammen mit euch.
Die gegenwaertige Weltwirtschaftskrise, die weit schlimmer ist als die von 1929, vertieft sich und spitzt sich zu von Tag zu Tag. Die Weltwirtschaftskrise fuehrt zu neuen imperialistischen Kriegen. Sie fuehrt andererseits zu neuen Kaempfen der Arbeiterklasse und Massen in der ganzen Welt. Auch in Europa erfahren wir nun fast jeden Tag Generalstreiks und Grossdemonstrationen. Das Zeitalter der proletarischen Weltrevolution ist endlich gekommen.

Genossinen und Genossen,
Gerade deshalb wollen wir euch an die letzten Saetze des „Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei“ erinnern. Ich zitiere:
„Moegen die herrschenden Klassen vor einer kommunistischen Revolution zittern. Die Proletarier haben nicht in ihr zu verlieren als ihre Ketten. Sie haben eine Welt zu gewinnen.
Proletarier aller Laender, vereinigt euch!“

Es lebe die internationale Solidaritaet zwischen der deutschen und japanischen Arbeiterklasse!
Es lebe die internationale Solidaritaet der ganzen Arbeiterklasse ueberall in der Welt!
Vielen Dank!

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Appeal from
“Free Hoshino Fumiaki! National Coordinating Conference for Retrial”

HOSHINO Akiko
Co-Chair of the Conference
Spouse of HOSHINO Fumiaki

Brothers and Sisters, thank you for your struggles in your workplaces and communities.

Hoshino Fumiaki is an innocent political prisoner in Tokushima Prison. He has spent 36 years in detention. He appeals, “Workers who produce everything and run the society have the power to smash enemy attacks, transform workplaces and whole society, get back all the properties from capitalists and emancipate all human beings. Get back the power of labor movement, free the anger of all of workers and people! Build unity of all workers and people across the borders!”

On November 14, 1971, Fumiaki took part in the demonstration in Shibuya, Tokyo, against the ratification of the Agreement on the Reversion of Okinawa, which was strengthening of war efforts, especially the reorganization and enhancement of the US military bases in Okinawa. The secret pact on nuclear weapons was also included in the Agreement.
During the course of the demonstration, one riot policeman died and the police framed up and charged Fumiaki on criminal homicide. Also the Supreme Court sentenced him life imprisonment.

I married with him in 1986 while he was in prison. Since then I have been living and struggling together with Fumiaki against Japanese inhumane prison system, which prohibits even a minimal human contact: I cannot touch his hands.
Fumiaki did not engaged in the death of the riot policeman. He is innocent. The police framed and arrested many students who had participated the demonstration and forced them to “confess” the “crime” of Hoshino. In the open court five of the six students who “confessed”, withdrew their “testimonies.” Remaining one student refused to testify altogether. Nevertheless the court admitted the “confession” in a closed interrogation room as evidence and rejected the testimonies in the open court.

The first application for retrial was refused. The Supreme Court, however, admitted that Fumiaki wore at the time “light blue clothes” instead of “biscuit clothes” which was the previous story of the framed up sentences.
We filed second application for retrial on November 27, last year.
The Tokushima Prison has punished Fumiaki two times, in order to obstruct our movement for retrial. Seven of his friend were refused to visit him. My letters were censored and partially erased four times. Even the wife of the prisoner, myself was prohibited to visit him. And the prison management “consider lawyers’ visits general visits and limit the time and the prison officers watch on the side of the lawyers.

We will file a lawsuit under national redress law. Protests from around the world are surely very effective. Please send protest and encouragement letters to the government and to Fumiaki. He himself said that his task is to encourage everyone.

In 1971, many workers and students in mainland Japan rose up for Okinawa struggle at the risk of their own lives. The life imprisonment of Fumiaki was retaliation against this historic struggle. This is also an exemplary punishment on Fumiaki who continues the struggles of 1970 and creates today’s Okinawa and anti- Anpo (Japan US Security Alliance) struggles in prison. Furthermore, the oppression against Fumiaki is meant to destroy the struggles of workers and people including Doro-Chiba outside the prison.

Smash the divide and conquer policy! Take back Hoshino Fumiaki with the power of international solidarity. Please support us to free my beloved husband, Fumiaki, and to corner the Kan administration of Democratic Party. Please join the national rally for free Hoshino.

Let’s take back political prisoners of the world, including Mumia Abu Jamal, with international solidarity!
All workers, fight together across borders! Fight back together against capitalists who shift blames of global financial meltdown to workers! Let’s organize the Nation-wide Movement of National Railway Struggle and create a perspective for workers to live our own lives!

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KODAMA Tadanori, Kokuro-Tosodan, Akita

I’m one of the members of 1047 national railway workers who were dismissed because of our struggle against the Division and Privatization of National Railway, a pivotal policy of neo-liberal offensive in Japan. Now we are in the 24th years of the struggle and we are not defeated.
On April 9th, the Japanese government, that had dismissed us, published that a “political settlement” was reached. But we, 6 of the Kokuro-Tosodan, including myself, categorically refused it and have been fighting till today.

We rejected the governmental proposition firstly because the conditions of this “settlement”, presented by the government implies: (1) to drop all suits concerning the dismissal, (2) to promise not to raise the issue of unfair labor practice or the demand for reinstatement (employment), (3) not to give any guarantee to the job of dismissed workers. In exchange for accepting these conditions, a certain sum of “reconciliation money” would be paid to the dismissed workers.
What this all means is that the dismissed 1047 national railway workers are requested to admit that there had been no unfair labor practice of the government and the ex-JNR (Japan National Railway) [on the occasion of the Division and Privatization of National Railway] and that the authority concerned (the government and the ex-JNR) had no responsibility at all and needed not apologize for the unjustly dismissed workers. In a word, we, dismissed national railway workers, must admit, “the Division and Privatization of National Railway was a right policy”. Such humiliating “settlement” is absolutely incompatible with labor union and labor movement.

Secondly, we refused this “political settlement” because this was carried out through talks, which completely excluded one of the concerned unions, Doro-Chiba, who has been defending dismissed workers, or union members, and fighting strikes to oppose the Division and Privatization. It exposes the true essence of this “political settlement” whose underlying aim is to reject “reconciliation” with those militant labor unions which are against privatization and rather to destroy them.

The headquarters of Kokuro (National Railway Workers’ Union) which accepted the “political settlement”, decided on the National Convention in July that we, the dismissed union members, were given a status of “special union membership” who are exempt of paying union fee and are deprived of the right of electing and being elected. Further decisions were made to abolish strike fund and it woud be used to finance “report meeting of the settlement”.
Thus Kokuro leadership has made a non-strike pledge to the JR (Japan Railway Company) capital. The underling intention of the recent “political settlement” is evidently to force Kokuro to cave in and to make it a tool of coming mass dismissal of workers and a large-scale rationalization by JR.

However, we are not scared at all. Capitalism has been thrust into the global economic crisis and its end is approaching. To confront the fresh capitalist offensive, Doro-Chiba launched a new “nationwide movement of national railway struggle” on June 13. Quite different from the traditional labor movement, which used to beg mercy from the government in the name of “humanitarian rescue”, a new movement has started a struggle of 1047 dismissed national railway workers based firmly on the class struggle principle of working class.

This new movement is to kindle fires of struggle in every workplace against capital, overthrow the rule of Rengo over workers and put class struggle labor movement in the position of mainstream of class struggle, a rehabilitation of militant labor movement. Establishing a close link of solidarity with fighting workers all over the world, this movement has been powerfully developing.
I’m closing my speech with my sincere pledge to keep fighting with you till the victory of the struggle by the united power of working class.

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Solidarity Message
CSP-Conlutas Brazil

Brothers and Sisters of Doro-Chiba

It is an honor to address this important rally in Tokyo in such a critical moment of International Class Struggle.
Since the world economic crisis started in December 2007, the corporations and the capitalist governments all over the world are putting the best of their efforts to save capitalism, placing the burden of the crisis on the backs of the working class and the poor.

Massive layoffs, attacks on labor rights, budget cuts to social services, pension reforms and wars are on the agenda of the capitalists.
But the working class is resisting this backlash.
In the last couple of months in Europe, the workers have organized general strikes in Greece, Spain, France and important struggles are developing in the UK, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and Germany. The power of the working class is shown when they bring their countries' economies to a halt.

In the Middle Eastern and South Asia, the most powerful armed forces of the history of humanity, the United States army is suffering a defeat in the lands of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The most advanced weapons are not enough to crush the will of the people in struggle.

Our brothers and sisters in Palestine are standing up against the daily massacre perpetrated by Israel. The solidarity towards Palestine is increasing all over the world, bringing up the necessity of boycotting Israel and breaking the blockade against Gaza.
The Honda strike in China and the General Strike in India showed these enormous working masses taking action to defend workers' rights.
The industrial workers of Bolivia, the Brazilian bank workers, the students in Argentina, the policemen in Ecuador, the public workers in South Africa, the poor in Mozambique --- the workers struggles are exploding everywhere.

The point is, however, that the majority of the Union leaders chose to compromise instead of to resist to the capitalist backlash. They are prepared to accept concessions because they are not willing to fight back.
It is necessary to build a new leadership for the working class worldwide in the heat of the current struggles.
Our collaboration with Doro-Chiba is grounded in this perspective. It is necessary to unite all militant internationalist class-oriented unionism to defend workers rights and bring up the perspective of a socialist change for the entire world.

Long live the unity between Doro-Chiba, CSP-Conlutas and all militant unions across the world!
Long live the workers struggle!

Workers of the world, Unite!

Dirceu Travesso
CSP-Conlutas Brazil

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Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association

Solidarity Message to the November Workers Rally in Japan

Greetings of solidarity!

In the name of the working class of the Philippines, the Partido ng Manggagawa or Labor Party, extends the long hand of solidarity to the workers of Japan and other countries who are participating in the November Workers Rally. The call of the November Workers Rally for the establishment of a nationwide network of militant unions in Japan to lead the revival of the labor movement and the fight against the onslaught of neoliberal globalization is utterly correct and necessary.

All over the world, workers are facing the vicious attack of the capitalists and their governments against labor standards and workers rights. As international capitalism plunges into a deep and historic crisis, the race to the bottom in wages and working conditions worsens ever more. The working class is being made to pay the price of a crisis that is not of its own making.
We fully understand the plight of the 1047 dismissed national railway workers. We also recognize the negative impact of privatization and deregulation on workers and the people. In fact the very same issues animate the struggles that are being launched by workers in the Philippines.

In the Philippine Airlines, our national flag carrier, more than half of the workforce, some 3,000 workers, is facing retrenchment. Regular unionized employees will be replaced by agency workers who will have cheaper wages, less benefits, no security of tenure and no right to organize. While the plight of workers when the Philippine Airlines was nationalized was no heaven, it has become hell after the flag carrier was privatized and bought by the second richest man in the Philippines.

The fight for job security and workers rights at Philippine Airlines is the biggest labor dispute in the country. Not only is it a litmus test of the labor policy of the new government in the Philippines but it is a trailblazer struggle for the workers movement. The future of labor relations and the labor movement depends on the outcome of the fight between labor and capital in Philippine Airlines.

The defense of labor standards and workers rights is the content of the struggle at Philippine Airlines and in other establishments, factories, shops and offices in our country. In fact it is the same everywhere else for workers. In Japan, you call agency workers as dispatch workers. In the Philippines we call them contractual workers. The term is different but the conditions are the same for all workers exploited by the greed of capitalists.
The same issues confront workers in the Philippines that are employed by Japanese transnational corporations. Many of the 600,000 export zone workers in the Philippines are employees of Japanese companies, which are arguably the biggest investors at the moment. The most prevalent issues of export zone workers are violations of mandated labor standards, restrictions on the freedom to organize, and restraints on the right to peaceful concerted actions including strikes.

Indeed there is much that binds the workers of the Philippines and Japan in particular and of other countries in general. If not for the labor dispute at Philippine Airlines, I would have also participated in the international conference and workers rally in Japan. Still the workers of the Philippines are one in spirit with the call and demands of the November Workers Rally for defense of workers’ rights and the fight against neoliberal globalization.
Gerry Rivera
Vice Chairperson, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)
President, Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA)

DORO-CHIBA (DC): National Railway Motive Power Union of CHIBA
Email: doro-chiba@doro-chiba.org
Web: https://doro-chiba.org/

DORO-CHIBA