English

The participation of militant labor union leaders and activists of Korea and US one again confirmed a steady progress of forging international labor unity of three countries and demonstrated to all participants that we are reaching a new dimension for achieving proletarian world revolution.

The opening address was made by brother NAKAMURA Yoshimasa, vice-president of Minato-Godo (Metal and Machinery Workers' Union in Osaka), followed by solidarity messages: Mr.TAKAYAMA Shunkichi, representative of Society for Constitution and Human Rights in Japan Federation of Bar Associations; Mr.NISHIKAWA Shigenori, vice-director of Block The Road to War - Million Signature Campaign; brother HAGIWARA, vice-General Secretary of Sanrizuka-Shibayama United Opposition League against Construction of Narita Airport together with brother SHITO Takao (who is fighting against the planned expropriation of his farmland).

The first speaker from Korea was sister Jun Eun Ju, vice-president of Korean Metal Workers' Union, Seol Branch, Local Hitech RCD Korea, who reported on the struggle of her union by means of hunger strike and occupation of the company tower. She was followed by brother Lee Jae-young, President of Seoul Regional Council of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). He denounced the capitalists who pushed ahead neo-liberal agenda to be responsible for current worldwide financial crisis and demanded that they, composing only 1% of total world population, pay for that. He concluded his speech with an appeal: "Let's achieve international unity of working class and launch socialist movement to change the world, overcoming reformism! "

From US labor movement, brother Jack Heyman, Executive Board Member of International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU), Local 10, spoke first. He proudly reported on the historical May Day stop work that shut down all the West coast ports in solidarity with Iraqi workers and emphasized: "Class collaborationist ideology dominates the trade union movement globally" "We call for raising the level of struggle from protest to resistance" " We workers need our own party, a party of the working class"

The second speaker from US was brother Gregory Sotir of UTLA (United Teachers of Los Angeles) and CAMS (Coalition against Militarism in our Schools) who exposed expanding attempt of introducing curriculum for corporate interest and enforcing militarization of school and appealed for a determined struggle against greedy capital that is driving neo-liberal policies.

The keynote speakers of the rally were brother KO Hideo, vice-president of KAN-NAMA (Solidarity Union of Japan Construction and Transport Workers, Kansai Area Branch) and brother TANAKA Yasuhiro, president of Doro-Chiba (National Railway Motive Power Union of Chiba). Brother KO summarized the development of three unions' (KAN-NAMA, Minato-Godo and Doro-Chiba) coordinating efforts for these ten years as most successful achievement with rich experiences and called for further strengthening of the three unions' bond, pointing out, "When divergence of opinion emerges, it is a favorable opportunity to strengthen unity through candid discussion. As long as workers keep fighting, it is possible to change the whole society". His speech was fully supported by brother TANAKA who noted that what we are now witnessing is the beginning of the end of capitalism and that we need to stick to the original stand-point of labor movement to address the serious situation. He pledged to keep absolute opposition to the defeatist line of "The Four Parties and Four Organizations" and finally called on all the participants to stand up for general strike demanding a large-scale wage raising on the occasion of the Spring Labor Offensive next year.

Special reports were delivered by the following people: Dispute groups of the struggle of dismissed 1047 national railway workers, including union members of Doro-Chiba delivered passionate speeches, denouncing the surrender of "The Four Parties and Four Organizations" ; sister NEZU Kimiko spoke about her struggle against Hinomaru and Kimigayo, representing other dissident teachers; a member of Okinawa fighting group spoke out against the plan of US navy base construction on Henoko of Okinawa, resisting rotten leadership of the movement.

Workers, fighting in workplaces, expressed their determination for fresh struggle: a medical worker, a public service worker and a postal worker.

At the end of the rally, a vigorous group of students of Hosei University, representing militant students belonging to Federation of Cultural Clubs, emerged on the stage and reported their courageous struggle against the reactionary repression of the university authority. Currently 22 students are detained in prison for their activity on the campus, for example, distributing flyers, putting out political billboards or making outdoor speech, etc. The participants warmly applauded their speech.

After the rally, participants in a high spirit stormed into the street of Ginza, popular down town of Tokyo and carried out a powerful street demonstration, overwhelming the lively quarter. Police, trying to suppress the demonstration in vain, outrageously arrested one of the demonstrators, but could not prevent sympathetic passers-by to join the demonstration.

Sister YONEYAMA Yoshie of Tokyo Teachers Union, one of the sponsors, reported that brothers and sisters of UTLA were simultaneously holding a rally in Los Angeles, denouncing military recruiting in schools in the name of NSLBstandardized testing under NCLB, and that also in San Francisco another rally was taking place. She added she got news from Osaka that there was also an education workers rally in front of Osaka Prefecture Government Office (read the following article). In her speech, sister YONEYAMA denounced the outrageous attack on Japan Teachers Union (JTU) by NAKAYAMA, resigned Education Transport Minister, who openly demanded disband of JTU. She closed her speech by an energetic call for a general mobilization of workers to the November 2 workers rally in Tokyo in order to develop international solidarity advanced by Doro-Chiba. Sister NEZU Kimiko, another sponsor of today's rally, who had succeeded to prevent her dismissal this spring because of her continued disobedience to Hinomaru and Kimigayo ceremony, expressed firm determination to keep on her struggle till next March, month of school ceremony with Hinomaru and Kimigayo. She told her own experience of being transferred every school season to different workplaces (schools) that gives her favorable opportunity to be a " traveling agitator" of calling on different colleagues for refusal of Hinomaru and Kimigayo ceremony. She proposed a protest action on October 22, when she would be summoned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBE) for "brain-stormintraining courseg" to prevent repeated disobedience in ceremony". TMBE announced her this just on the day of the expiration of disciplinary suspension on her that made her angry and drove her for another action. This proposal of a protest mass action was supported by enthusiastic applause. Beside these speeches, education workers of Tokyo and Kanagawa, a welfare worker, a municipal worker and a student of Hosei University spoke out one after another their angry anger against neo-liberalism union bustingto crush labor union in the midst of deepening world financial crisis. They all confirmed their determination to organize a fight-back in their workplaces against capital's offensive. Closing address was made by brother KAWASAKI Masahiro, executive committee member of Doro-Chiba, who strongly urged everybody there to bring 10,000 workers to November 2 workers rally. At the end of the rally, all the participants shouted with raised fists, "We denounce TMBE under Governor ISHIHARA!" against the building of Tokyo Metroplolitn Metroplolian Office.

In line with the rallies in Tokyo and also in San Francisco, education workers in Osaka stood up for a joint action in solidarity with the International World Teachers Day. The rally was held just in front of the annex of Osaka Prefectural Office with more than 20 participants with education workers at their head. Many of them came to the rally demanding a break during the duty. Solidarity messages from sister Arlene Inoue of CAMS and from the simultaneous Tokyo rally were read out. It was followed by education workers, who raised their angry voices against neo-liberal "Educational Reform" that forces education for war mobilization, drives competition among students to widen gaps and attempts to privatize education. Among others, their vehement denunciation was focused upon the "Emergency Declaration on Education", recently issued by HASHIMOTO, Osaka prefecture Governor.
An education worker condemned HASHIMOTO for his budgetary reform that had brought her wage cut by 40,000 yen ($400) and forces her even to pay the meals during the school excursion she was going to accompany. She called on the municipal workers of Osaka Prefectural Office to stand up for strike to overthrow Governor HASHIMOTO, mentioning that wages would be lowered and working conditions would be worsened in the process of deepening financial crisis unless workers fight back.
Another education worker attacked NAKAYAMA, resigned Education Transport Minister, who declared to destroy Japan Teachers Union (JTU) and Governor HASHIMOTO, who urged to put "incompetent teachers" on "undesirable dismissal". He exposed HASHIMOTO's intention of dividing education workers and undermining labor unity by means of introducing "performance-based wage system on job valuation". November 2 workers rally, he stressed, is a powerful weapon to crush those reactionary offensives by the power of international solidarity of working class.
Osaka rally declared: "In solidarity with sisters NEZU and KAWARAI, let's rise up for a struggle next spring, together with colleagues in workshop, to refuse to stand up and sing Kimigayo in front of Hinomaru and frustrate HASHIMOTO's attack on us".
Osaka Prefectural Office was overwhelmed by workers' anger against Governor HASHIMOTO and determination to advance struggle through strengthening international labor solidarity.