Thursday, May 27, 2010

“Alternative idea” for Futenma Base ~ Satirical cartoon by Ichihanahana


The Imperial Palace is unbelievably rich with greenery. Drilling posts would not destroy the environment. By Ichihanahana

普天間基地「代替案」~壱花花の風刺漫画

 皇居は都心とは思えないほど緑豊かです。杭打ち方式なら自然を壊しません。(壱花花)

Hankyu Travel Support Should Compensate Unpaid Overtime Wages ~ Tokyo District Court Rules


Hankyu Travel Support should immediately compensate unpaid overtime wages and pay the same amount of fines! The company is not to include overtime hours in regular work hours. Tokyo District Court ruled as such on May 11 in the lawsuit filed in October 2008. The plaintiff (a member of National Union of General Workers Tokyo Tobu) claimed that the company failed to pay overtime since the hours were included in the regular work hours. The court dismissed all the defendant’s claims as it stated that temp workers must be paid the hours they put in and not have the set pay that includes overtime wages. The court also ordered that the company pay the total of 562,930 yen demanded by the plaintiff and the same amount of compensation as fines.
By NUGW Tokyo Tobu
Read reports on blog, see UnionTube for press conference
Photo: Plaintiff and supporters after the victory

阪急トラベルサポートは不払い残業代を払え~東京地裁が画期的勝利判決
 阪急トラベルサポートは不払い残業代請求額全額をただちに支払え! 同額の付加金(ペナルティ)も支払え! 「みなし労働時間制」は適用できない! 2008年10月に提訴した「偽装みなし労働」残業代請求裁判第3陣(原告:豊田組合員。対象は国内宿泊旅行)の判決公判が5月11日、東京地裁で行われました。その冒頭、裁判長から組合勝利の判決が通告されたのです。会社の主張は全面的に否定されました。裁判所は、派遣添乗員への「みなし労働時間」の適用は認めないと明確に指摘し、未払い残業代請求に対して、なんと請求額全額の56万2930円の支払いを命じると共に最高額の付加金として、請求額と同額の56万2930円の支払いも命じました。(東京東部労組)
当該ブログ ・記者会見の動画(UnionTube) 
*写真=勝訴した原告と支援者

Film “No Time for Dying” featuring Born Activist Sumiko Masunaga to Screen


“No Time for Dying—Sumiko Masunaga, 86,” produced by Video Press, was to be screened on May 12 in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward, prior to enactment of law to revise Japan’s constitution. Sumiko Masunaga (photo) was made to believe she was one of “Emperor’s child” by militaristic education and holds bitter memory of encouraging soldiers to head to the battlefield. She established the first post-war labor union for nurses and midwives at Toyoda Kariya Hospital in Aichi Prefecture in 1970s. The 145-meter-tall born-activist adapted a death-row inmate and became active in amnesty, anti-death penalty movement, support for Japan Railway workers labor dispute and protecting Japan’s constitution. At the movie screening, she discussed needs of anti-war movement and protest against revision of Article 9, the pacifist article, with former imperial soldier, Ichiro Koyama.
By M
See Video Press homepage

全身活動家・益永スミコさんの「死んどるヒマはない」完成上映会
 ビデオプレスの新作「死んどるヒマはない-益永スミコ86歳」の完成上映会が、改憲手続き法施行直前の5月12日、東京・中野区で開催される。益永スミコさん(写真)は、軍国教育で「天皇の赤子(せきし)」と思いこまされ、兵士を戦場に駆り立てた苦い体験をもつ。1970年代には、愛知の豊田刈谷病院で女性だけの看護士・助産婦の労働組合を、戦後初めてつくった。その後、死刑囚の養母となり、アムネスティ・死刑廃止・国労闘争団支援・憲法擁護運動などに邁進する145センチの「全身活動家」のおばあちゃんだ。完成上映会では、侵略戦争に加担させられた元日本軍兵士・小山一郎さんとの「9条改憲なんてとんでもない!175歳反戦トーク」もある。(M)
ビデオプレスHP 

Freelance Journalist Wins Again in Lawsuit Filed by Yomiuri Shimbun


 Tetsuya Kuroyabu (photo/ freelance journalist and member of Union Nettsu) won the lawsuit on April 27 at Tokyo High Court, which upheld the lower court’s decision. The high court dismissed the plaintiff’s appeal. Yomiuri Shimbun West Headquarters sued Kuroyabu for defamation. This is the second time Kuroyabu won. He was sued by Yomiuri for violation of copy right. But he has another court case remaining, where Japan’s largest newspaper claimed he and a weekly magazine, Shukan Shincho, defamed the company’s reputation by reporting on forcing newspapers to distribution centers. His lawyer plans to file a criminal lawsuit against Yomiuri for forging facts during the lawsuit on copy right, as well as request to dismiss the plaintiff’s attorney.
By T.A

フリージャーナリスト黒藪さんが読売新聞のいやがらせ裁判にまたも勝利!
 4月27日、東京高裁で読売新聞西部本社から言論抑圧としか思われない名誉毀損裁判をおこされていた黒薮哲哉さん(写真/フリージャーナリスト・ネッツ組合員)の裁判の判決があった。内容は一審の地裁での勝利判決を継承するもので、原告の請求を棄却するものだった。以前訴えられていた「著作権違反」裁判の勝利判決確定に続く快挙である。これで読売新聞が訴えている「押し紙」問題は「週刊新潮」・黒薮さんへの名誉毀損裁判を残すだけだ。今後は先に勝利が確定した読売側の喜多村弁護士が虚偽の事実を捏造した「著作権裁判」について、弁護士としての懲戒請求や刑事告訴も視野にいれた反撃を開始する予定だ。(T.A)

Hundreds Gather for Rally to Protest against Revising Constitution


More than 1,600 people came to a 5.3 rally in Tokyo on March 3, the Constitution Day.
People overflowed the Hibiya Open Air Music Hall with capacity of 1,900 and watched the procession on a large screen outside the hall. The event of this scale has been held for the past 10 years, and that by itself is proof that people would not allow revision of Constitution. The rally was extremely important as relocation of Futenma base was becoming more political and the government was trying to launch a constitution review committee on the day the law was to be enacted.
By Yumoto
Photo flash news; See Union Tube
Photo: demonstration after the rally


押し寄せる人波~「憲法改悪は許さない」の一点で共同した憲法集会
 5月3日、今年で10回目を迎えた5・3憲法集会が都内で開催された。開場30分前の時点で、会場である日比谷公会堂の客席数1900にせまる1600枚以上の整理券が配布された。集会には開場以降も続々と人が集まり、会場外に設置されたオーロラビジョン前には屋内会場に入れなかった人が会場内の人数を上回るほど結集した。こうした結集はこの10年間ずっと続いてきたことであり、本集会が「憲法改悪は許さない」の一点で共同の運動を作り出してきたことの意味の証しでもある。特に今回は、普天間基地問題が全国的に政治焦点化しており、また5月18日には「改憲手続き法」の実施日として憲法審査会を始動させようという動きがある中での極めて重要な意味を持つ集会であった。(湯本)
写真速報動画(UnionTube)
*写真=集会後のデモ

12,000 Gather for May Day ~ Putting Minds Together for Okinawa Base Issue


About 12,000 people gathered at Tokyo’s Hibiya Open Air Music Hall on the sunny May 1 (photo). “Okinawa does not need another base,” Social Democratic Party President Mizuho Fukushima said at the rally. “We should not pound another stake into Henoko.” Narinobu Uehara, who is protesting against US base by withholding a small piece of property in Okinawa, expressed anger by saying, “It’s been 65 years since Futenma base was built. No government should bear 65 years of occupation by a foreign military without a word.” Members of Japan National Railway Struggles reported the result of their long dispute and expressed their appreciation for others’ support. On the same day, some 32,000 people gathered at Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park for another May Day rally led by Zenroren. In New York, Democratic Party affiliates celebrated their first May Day in some 10 years. The unemployment rate, which exceeded 10 percent, has added to increasing anxiety over mass layoffs.
See Union Tube for Hibiya May Day / Photo reports by NUGW Tokyo Tobu / May Day celebration in South Korea / May Day for Freedom and Survival / See video on May Day in New York


日比谷メーデーに12000人~沖縄問題に関心あつまる
 5月1日、五月晴れのなか第81回日比谷メーデーが開催され、約12000人が集まった(写真)。福島社民党党首は「沖縄に新たな基地はいらない。辺野古の杭打ちはすべきでない」と明言。また沖縄一坪反戦地主の上原成信さんは「普天間基地は65年経つが、外国の軍隊に65年も占領されて文句も言えない政府はどこにある」と怒りをぶつけた。国労闘争団からは、政治解決の報告と支援のお礼があった。同じ日、全労連系の中央メーデーは代々木公園で開かれ3万2千人が集まった。またニューヨークでは、数十年ぶりに民主党系の主要な労働組合がメーデーを行った。ニューヨーク市では、失業率が10%を越えるなど、大量失業への懸念が現実のものになっていて、不安が高まっている。 日比谷メーデーの動画(UnionTube)東部労組の写真報告韓国のメーデー自由と生存のメーデーニューヨーク動画

Monday, May 17, 2010

Unfair decision on Mr. Hikita’s dismissal! – Court only accepts what Metropolitan Board of Education says


On April 28, 2010, the Tokyo District Court (Chief Justice: Shiraishi Tetsu) rejected the claim of Hikita Tetsuya, a former school teacher in Tokyo, that his dismissal as being “ill-qualified” be rescinded. The court judged the punishment by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education as legitimate, saying that storage of Mr. Hikita’s personal belongings, his commute by car and his corporal punishment, all of which were points in dispute, reflect his lack of eligibility as a teacher. The decision that only accepted what the board of education said was very unfair with the refutation and rebuttal evidence from Mr. Hikita, the plaintiff, being totally ignored. He immediately appealed to the high court, and angrily said, “I gave lessons for three hours also this morning (at a private school), even if the court said that I was not eligible. There are students and parents who support my lawsuit. I am disappointed with the decision that totally ignores my claim. Is this really the court?” (Reported by Sasaki Yumi) - Image (UnionTube) - Web page of Hikita’s lawsuit * Photo: Press conference after decision (Mr. Hikita on the left)


疋田さん分限免職事件に不当判決!~都教委の言い分だけ認める裁判所
「不適格教員」とされ分限免職(解雇)処分となった東京都の元教員、疋田哲也さんが処分撤回を求めていた裁判で、東京地裁(白石哲裁判長)は4月28日、請求を棄却する判決を言い渡した。判決は裁判の争点となった私物の保管問題、自動車通勤の問題、体罰について、どれも教員としての適格性を欠くとして都教委の処分を適法とした。原告側の反論・反証をまったく取り上げず、都教委の言い分をそのまま認めたきわめて不当な判決となった。原告側は即日控訴した。疋田さんは「適格性がないと言われても、今日も午前中3時間(勤務している私立学校で)授業をしてきた。裁判を支援してくれる保護者、生徒もいる。こちら側の言い分をまったく無視した判決にがっかりした。これが裁判所か」と怒りをあらわにした。(佐々木有美) ・動画(UnionTube) 
疋田裁判HP 
 *写真=判決後の記者会見(左が疋田さん)

“Feeling relieved but still worried about job” – Kokuro ratifies government’s solution proposal at its ad hoc conference


On April 26, 2010, Kokuro (National Railworkers’ Union) held its ad hoc conference at Shakai Bunka Kaikan (Social and Cultural Hall) in Tokyo and unanimously ratified the Japanese Government’s proposal for solution of the dismissal of 1,047 former railway workers, with the total settlement of approximately 20 billion yen. 100 Tosodan (struggle group) members and three bereaved family members with photos of the deceased (photo) participated in the conference. Mr. Takahashi, President of Kokuro, greeted, “The solution proposal is meaningful as our achievement after our quarter century-old struggle against discrimination against our union, although it is not necessarily perfect”. Four participants spoke in the conference all in favor of the proposal, and it was ratified smoothly. Many of the struggle group members suggested, “We simply feel relieved but the employment issue still remains”. Actually, many of guests for the conference called the proposal “insufficient” and “a pending matter still remaining”. The conference revealed that the issue of “employment in JR (Japanese Rail)” remained unresolved for the final solution, although the proposal was ratified. (Reported by M) Photo flash


「ほっとした、でもまだ雇用が」~国労臨時大会で政府解決案を批准
4月26日、国労は東京・社会文化会館で臨時大会を開催し、全会一致で1047名・JR不採用問題の政府解決案(和解金・総額約200億円)を批准した。大会には、100人に及ぶ闘争団と3人の遺族(写真)が遺影をもって参加した。高橋委員長は「手放しで喜べる内容ではないが、四半世紀に及ぶ組合差別と闘って得た解決として意義がある」と挨拶した。大会では4人が発言したが、すべて賛成意見で波乱なく批准された。傍聴席の闘争団員は「とにかくほっとした。でも雇用の問題が残っている」と述べる人が多かった。大会の来賓発言でも「不十分な解決」「宿題がある」という言い方が多く、批准はしたものの、最終決着には「JR雇用」の問題が課題であることが浮き彫りになった。(M) 写真速報 

“No to relocation within Okinawa!” message to Government – 90,000 gather in Okinawa Prefecture Rally


Floods of people – The “Okinawa Prefecture Rally for Early Closure of US Futemma Air Base and Its Relocation to Outside Japan or Okinawa and against Its Relocation within the Prefecture” was held at the Yomitan Village Stadium in Okinawa. 90,000 people gathered in the stadium (photo). They said “No!” to the Japanese Government that tried to seek the relocation within the prefecture while publicly stating the relocation “at least to outside Okinawa Prefecture”. People came to the stadium one after another even before the start of the rally, causing nearby roads to be congested. Some almost missed the gathering due to the inching traffic. There were many groups of two or even three generations of families, and many junior high and high school students. Mayors and assembly chairpersons of all cities, towns and villages in the prefecture, the Okinawa governor and the prefectural assembly chairperson also joined the rally and appealed the relocation of the Futemma Air Base to outside the prefecture. (Reported by Gasha Kaori) - Video of the rally (All of the rally recorded) - Photos of the rally (by Kimura)


「県内移設 NO!」を政府に突きつける~沖縄県民大会に9万人
押し寄せる人、人、人-。「米軍普天間飛行場の早期閉鎖・返還と移設に反対し、国外・県外移設を求める県民大会」が4月25日、沖縄県読谷村の読谷村運動広場で開催された。会場には9万人が結集(写真)。「最低でも県外」を公約に掲げながら県内移設を模索する政府に対し、NO!を突き付けた。大会前から会場には続々と参加者が集まり、周辺の道路は渋滞した。渋滞のため、大会終了間際になっても到着できない参加者も。親子連れや三世代の家族連れの参加者、中高校生の姿も多数あった。県内の市町村、すべての首長・議長らも参加し、普天間の県外移設を訴えた。(我謝香織)・県民大会ビデオ(全記録)大会写真(木村)

Don’t exclude Korean schools! Protest against Ministry of Education


On April 16, 2010, 50 persons joined a protest against the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, demanding the immediate repeal of the exclusion of Korean schools from the high school tuition subsidy program. The protest was organized by the executive committee of the urgent action against the exclusion (joined by 700 persons), which was taken on March 27, and the resolution adopted in that action was submitted to the ministry on April 16. The ministry restricted the number of negotiators to ten, so most of the protestors had to wait outside. However, the ministry was obliged to say, “We have not necessarily decided to exclude Korean schools yet”, amid the appeal of representatives of Korean school students and their mothers’ organizations. It is still necessary to advance efforts to demand the government to repeal the exclusion. (Reported by Yumoto Masanori) Image (UnionTube) *Photo: Meeting to report 

朝鮮学校を排除するな!の思いを文科省にぶつける
4月16日、高校無償化から朝鮮学校を排除している事態に対して、即時排除撤回を文部科学省に求める行動がもたれ50名が参加した。この行動は、3月27日東京で開催された「高校無償化」からの朝鮮学校排除に反対する緊急行動(700名参加)の実行委員会の主催したもので、この日は集会決議が文科省に提出された。交渉には文科省側から人数制限(10名)が課せられ、ほとんどの参加者は省外で待たされる形となった。しかし、交渉に参加した朝鮮高校生徒代表やオモニの会の代表が思いを訴える中で、文科省も「朝鮮学校の排除を決定したわけではない」と言わざるをえない状況が作られた。今後、さらに政府に排除撤回をせまる取り組みが求められている。(湯本雅典) 報告・動画(UnionTube)
 *写真=報告集会

Be company slave! – Military-like training for new recruits at “Ohsho Food Service”


On April 11, 2010, a program of Nippon Television “The Sunday NEXT” (photo) showed training for new recruits at “Ohsho Food Service”. They have their mobile phones confiscated and are prohibited from watching TV, drinking or smoking like in the military. They start their daily schedule at 6:30 AM from running and are severely reprimanded and reviled during training. On the last day of the training, they are required to read their goals loudly. At that time, their identities are eliminated, resulting in the completion of their enslavement. This kind of thing is being carried out not only at Ohsho but also at many other companies. It seems that companies are destroying the spirit of workers itself before they join a union to expand their ordinary rights. Can you afford to leave this? (Posted by C) TV image (YouTube)

企業の奴隷になれ!~軍隊さながらの「餃子の王将」新人研修
 4月11日の日本テレビ  「TheサンデーNEXT」(写真)にて「餃子の王将」における新人研修の模様が写された。軍隊さながら携帯を没収、テレビ、酒、タバコを禁止され朝6時半からランニングにはじまり、激しい叱責罵倒のなか研修がおこなわれる、最終日には自己目標を大声で読み上げさせられ、その頃には新人のアイデンティティは抹消され、完全な奴隷の出来上がりである。このような事は王将だけではなく多くの企業において行われている現状がある、労働者が労働組合に入り、当たり前の権利を拡大する前に、企業が労働者の精神そのものを破壊しているようにみえてならなかった。これを放っておいていいのでしょうか。(投稿・C) TV映像(YouTube)