Let's speak out! No to Koizumi!
Come along to November Workers' Rally!
THE WAGE IS SAME LEVEL AS 15 YEARS AGO
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that the average wage
of Japanese workers have kept declining 7 years in a row. Average annual
income is 4,380,000 yens (approximately $40,000 or 22,000 pounds). This
is below the average annual income of 1989. Workers' wage is falling
down to the level of 15 years ago.
The reality, however, is much worse. The IRS says that the wage is
declining, number of employees is decreasing (more than 130,000 losses),
but the amount of withholding tax in the last financial year has increased
by 330 billion yens. This tells us that the workers are squeezed by
the tax increase and the abolition of deduction for the spouses.
Come to think of the premium for pension, employment insurance and
nursing care insurance, the take-home earnings should be as low as that
of 20 years ago.
Thinking about these situations, it is just like the entire pay rise
after the privatization of Japan National Railway 18 years ago has been
canceled. The reality of Japanese workers is really serious now. The
workers cannot survive without struggles.
20% HOUSEHOLDS EARN BELOW 2 MILLION YENS ANNUALLY
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has announced that
approximately 20% of the households are earning just below 2 million
yens annually (about $20,000 or 10,000 Pounds). This means that workers
take only 120,000 yens at home monthly ($1,200 or 600 Pounds, roughly).
How much on earth is remaining after paying fee for rent, electricity,
water and gas? One of five workers lives just like this. This is the
reality.
More than a million households are now living with social security.
It means 1,430,000 persons. One in 100 of Japanese population is surviving
the daily life only with the help of social security. This is the truth
of Japan, "one of the foremost economic powers" in the world.
The gap between the rich and the poor has been growing quite rapidly,
and the workers have been victimized.
Meanwhile, one in three listed companies has gained unprecedented profit.
DECEIT BY KOIZUMI AND OKUDA
Who has brought this reality? It is Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister
of Japan, and Hiroshi Okuda, president of KEIDANREN (Japan Business
Federation).
During 4 years of Koizumi administration, 2,600,000 full-time workers
have lost their jobs and have been replaced by 1,950,000 unstable workers
with no rights and quite low wages.
Ten years ago, the Japan Business Federation issued a report, "Japanese
way of management in the new era", and said they wanted to replace
90% of full-time workers with unstable employees. And now, the ratio
of unstable workers in the whole workforce has increased from 17% to
34%. As to female workers or young workers under 24-year-old, unstable
status is higher than 50%.
Koizumi and Okuda are about to destroy not just the right of survival
for workers but also their dream and their hope as well. Koizumi says
"We should not allow vested rights of 270,000 postal workers as
public workers", "Turn public into private" and insists
as if the public workers are the root of all evil. He repeats its demagogy
again and again, in order to divide the workers, make workers to fight
each others, and conceal the essence of the problem. Now we can be killed
if we remain silent. Let's make our angry voices heard!
IT IS TIME FOR WORKERS TO UNITE!
Next 2 years will be checkered time. The ruling Liberal Democratic
Party and the business circles are aiming to corrupt the Constitution
in 2007. They will attack postal workers in order to privatize postal
service in 2007. Their plan to increase the consumption tax from present
5% to 16% is also expected to be in 2007. Proposed corruption of Labour
Act will also be done in 2007 to destroy the workers' rights to unite.
They want to change everything including employments, wages and pensions.
They want power to wage wars.
The coming 2 years will be the decisive battle for trade union movement.
Koizumi's plan cannot be made without any resistance. Anything can happen.
It is no doubt, we believe, that working people will start to speak
out and reboot the labour movement.
Now is the time to fight. The leaderships of JR-Union and Rengo do
not represent workers at all. We need to overcome corrupt trade union
leaderships and regain the unity among workers. The unity of workers
is the only strength to change this terrible reality.
- Reclaim the real trade unions!
- Regain the unity!
- Let's speak out!
- Change the corrupt society!
- Stop Koizumi administration!
- Workers can do it in solidarity!
Come along to Hibiya, Tokyo, on 6 November!
Tens of thousands of workers! Make you angry voices heard!
DORO-CHIBA (DC): National Railway Motive Power Union of CHIBA
Email: doro-chiba@doro-chiba.org
Web: https://doro-chiba.org/
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