A triple alliance of a construction company, police and prosecution authorities have been attacking a trade union, the Concrete Mixing Branch Union of Kansai Area belonging to the National Solidarity Trade Union of Construction and Transport Workers. No indication of ending is seen. The offensive aims to destroy the trade union, violating the rights stipulated in the Article 28 of the constitution. The controversy represents unprecedented injustice in the history of labor-employer relations of this country after the World War II. Repression on trade unions using a context of conspiracy means to wipe out the constitutional rights of workers.

DON’T LOOK OVER SYMPTOMS BRINGING US TO DARK SOCIETY

Pre-war union movements in Japan

What is happening at the moment in the trade union, the Kansai Concrete Mixing Branch Union, reminds us of the pre-war periods when trade union movements were prohibited in Japan. Or, it is similar to what occurred in England in the 19^th century when workers fought to gain approval of union movements.

In England a law to forbid workers’ unity was repealed in 1824, the trade union act was implemented in 1871 to free union activities from persecution of criminal penalty, and the 1906 act on labor conflicts gave workers the right to be exempted from the responsibility for compensation of losses.

These achievements are incorporated in Article 28 of the constitution, which stipulates that ‘the right of workers to organize and to bargain and act collectively is guaranteed’. In the afore-mentioned trade union, however, the company continues to mercilessly suppress workers, infringing the constitutional rights.

Company uses racists

The Kansai-area union went on strike in December, 2017, to demand to put the agreement into practice that transport fee shall be proportionally heightened with surging prices of ready-mixed concrete. The company’s management decided to crack down the strike, taking hostile attitudes to workers; it set up the headquarters to charge forcible obstruction of business and organized crimes, engaging in unfair labor acts.

In August last year the police authority of Shiga Prefecture arrested Take Ken’ichi, President of the said trade union, and other leaders. In total 67 workers were arrested, including those detained by police of Osaka and Kyoto Prefectures. The company employed racists for a propaganda campaign, who accuse that the union is a gang group in the name of trade union. Legitimate strike was made to be a criminal offense. The company attempts to formulate a crime of conspiracy, using management power to demolish the union.

Union membership accused

Last June the Kyoto local police arrested seven leaders of the same union on charge of suspicion of duress and blackmail. The incident attributes to confrontation in which an irregular worker, after becoming a union member, demanded the company to hold a collective bargaining meeting to ask for proceedings of the labor insurance plans and for overtime work payment. The company rejected the request. Four months later the company closed business, and, practically, the worker was sacked.

In another occasion when the said worker asked the company to issue a certificate of employment as he needed one to present to a nursery school for his children, the request was turned down. Such a document had been given without any trouble before his union membership. The trade union leaders protested several times, asking the company to treat sincerely. These actions were made attempted blackmailing.

When a trade union asks a company to comply with laws, the activities are labeled as ‘blackmailing’, and when it engages in persuasion efforts in the process of conflict, they are regarded as forcible obstruction of business. Union leaders who were not present at the negotiation table were arrested because of ‘conspiracy’.

State’s power seen in background

Surveillance, intervention and suppression by state’s authorities are always present in the citizens’ movements, too: for instance, movements of residents against construction of tall buildings, wind power generation plants and etc. Trade unionists who demand rightly are attacked and active citizens who present legitimate demands are suppressed. Behind the scenes lies secret maneuver of state’s authorities, including police and security organizations.

What is happening at a point may be grown to be a line, and then to be a plane. It will be too late, if we overlook illicit phenomena.

September 3, 2019