Japan moves to expand controversial foreign worker scheme
(Reuters) – Japan is considering expanding a controversial program that now offers workers from China and elsewhere permits to work for up to three years, as the world’s fastest-aging nation scrambles to plug gaps in a rapidly shrinking workforce.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday submitted a proposal to let workers to stay for up to five years, relax hiring rules for employers and boost the number of jobs open to them.
Holding on to resignation letters may be common but it’s neither right nor valid
New NHK President Katsuto Momii made headlines around the world with his claim that “comfort women” have been a common feature of conflicts involving “every country.” Using sex slaves in wartime, he said, was only wrong according to “today’s morality.” Causing great concern to press-freedom advocates, he also insisted that “when the government says ‘right,’ we cannot say ‘left.’ “
Michael Albert Weighs In On Tozen Chomsky Chat
ZCommunications founder and staff member Michael Albert weighs in on our chat with Noam Chomsky.
Follow the link and read his thoughts on the subject of Participatory Economics.
GABA Dispute Update
The Tozen GABA Local leafleted the GABA Tokyo Learning Studio this morning in protest of their unfair discipline towards local president Tyler Christensen. The GABA Local also leafleted the Yokohama LS on Saturday night. On each occassion the union leafleted to both clients and instructors there – to let them know about Gaba’s persecution of Tyler. The responses were really positive; people continue to be outraged by Gaba’s seemingly senseless refusal to negotiate. Afterwards, the Local held its monthly meeting at a nearby restaurant, which prospective members could also attend. Tozen’s Gaba local continues to grow.
Tozen Report: All Day Dispute Action Against GABA
Last Friday, Tozen GABA Workers Union took its first all day action against GABA’s threat to fire Tozen GABA Workers Union President Tyler Christensen.
We began at 6AM to leaflet GABA Shinagawa Learning Studio. We moved on to Gaba corporate HQ at 9AM. There as we handed out leaflets, GABA representative Satomi Odaka emerged from the building.
The union handed Mr. Odaka a notification of dispute, outlining the specific demands of our dispute. You can read about them here. Mr. Odaka responded by asking for our “road use permit,” which we don’t need, physically obstructing Case Officer Gerome Rothman and threatening to call the police.
GABA then took the step of calling the police in an attempt to shut down our protest. We explained to the police that we were conducting legitimate union activity. The police decided not to interfere.
We did a loud protest call with the megaphone, and concluded our action. After that, we filed a protest with the company demanding an apology for their obstruction of legitimate union activity. We demanded they follow the law and desist from interference with union activity.
Tozen went to Yokohama Learning Studio, where Tyler works. During leafleting, Tyler spoke directly to his colleagues, sharing his story and drawing their support. He also took to the megaphone in an appeal to GABA management, asking them to “Let me do my job.”
GABA members and Tozen supporters wrapped up their protest at the end of the GABA work day, in Chiba. We leafleted at the Chiba Learning Studio.
Our first protest against GABA spanned 2 prefectures and the Tokyo Metropolis, 3 Learning Studios, and GABA HQ. We confronted a hostile management, and meaningfully engaged with sympathetic members of the GABA community.
We would love to think that a marathon fourteen hours of protesting GABA’s stubbornness will mean the end of our struggle for Tyler. We know, however, this is just the very beginning.
We need your help.
Tozen will not back down when its members are threatened with unfair discipline and attacks on their rights as workers. Tozen knows that all workers in Japan have the right to join a union, negotiate with management, and take collective action to improve their working conditions.
Join our fight. Let’s make GABA better for everybody.
Chomsky Tells Tozen that Systems of Power Don’t Say Thank Youノーム・チョムスキーから東ゼンへ:「権力者は、反対する者にはお礼を言わない」
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Tozen Activists Chat with Activist Noam Chomsky
ノーム・チョムスキーは来日中、東ゼン労組の活動家と話し合いを
Leaders and members of Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union (“Tozen Union”) met Saturday afternoon (March 8, 2014) with Professor Noam Chomsky at Café Lavandería in Shinjuku, Tokyo, at an event hosted by Tokyo Spring.
2014年3月8日、
The activist and linguist expressed great interest in the activities of both Tozen Union and Tokyo Spring. “I’d like to know what you guys are doing,” Chomsky said.
チョムスキー教授は東ゼン労組と東京スプリングの活動に関して深
Several members of both organizations asked questions and related their experiences in activism and organizing.
集まれた活動家はチョムスキー教授に質問をしたり、
Tozen member Matthew Allen discussed the dangers of union leaders becoming a “coordinator class” with unwarranted power. Chomsky suggested that efforts to eliminate all division of labor have failed.
東ゼン労組のマシュー・
Sulejman Brkic, Tokyo Spring activist and member of Tozen Union, MCed the event, while Tozen Union General Secretary Louis Carlet interpreted between Japanese and English. Tozen President Hifumi Okunuki presented Chomsky with a calligraphy-written haiku (see below). Brkic gave him the black and red flag of anarcho-communism on behalf of Tokyo Spring.
東京スプリングの活動家および東ゼン労組の組合員を兼ねるスレ
Chomsky encouraged Tozen and Tokyo Spring activists to continue their efforts and said “Anything that you are achieving that undermines and threatens systems of power will meet with oppression. Systems of power don’t say ‘thank you.’ What’s important is not to focus all your efforts on the oppression, but to continue the constructive work.”
チョムスキー教授は東ゼン労組と東京スプリングの活動を励ました