"The JR railway company did not 're-employ' me because I joined a strike."
"Trade union must defend their members who are dismissed."
"I will fight to the victory."

* The Railway workers smashed the government's 4-party-treaty. This is the high time to step up "the 1047-workers fight". Weekly Zenshin interviewed with Mr. Masahiro TAKAISHI who is one of the dismissed 1047 workers and a member of the Doro-Chiba railway unions Dispute Body.

BECAUSE TWO SUSPENSION PUNISHMENTS...

- We would like you to start talking about introduction of Doro-Chiba Dispute Body.

In Doro-Chiba (railway worker's union), we had 12 members who were not "re-employed" and were placed at "Settlement Corporation" when JNR (Japan National Railway) was privatized. We were dismissed again three years later, when Settlement Corporation itself was disbanded.

One of the 12 died in less than a year after this disband. Two of us were near to the retiring age and resigned in order to receive their pension. They notified the authority, though, that they would continue to fight. Now, 11 of us act together and 9 of which are members of those 1047 workers who were actually dismissed.

Doro-Chiba union prepared long-term fighting and we decided to work outside of JR (Japan Railway, privatized company). We decided to have one of us remain in union's headquarter in order to fight resolutely, and it was me in charge of.

- In mainland of Japan, JR did not "re-employ" some of applicants even though they still had vacancies. What was the reason for their rejection?

I had 3-month suspension punishments 2 times. I was punished because I joined in 2 strikes against privatization and against splitting in 1985-86. The authority set a standard as not to re-employ "those who had suspension punishment more than 6 months or more than 2 times in the past 3 years". It was Kakumaru (the fascist trade union) who demanded the authority to dismiss Doro-Chiba's workers, and the authority set this standard which was safe for Doro-Kakumaru's members who stopped fighting 3 years ago.

Doro-Chiba was punished because we fought. The authority harassed members of Kokuro (the biggest railway trade union) in the Settlement Corporation, but they could not do the same things to us. They thought "What ever we'd say, Doro-Chiba wouldn't accept our offer to work outside of JR", and they could not attack us 3 years in the Settlement Corporation. They managed to give us an order which says "You've got to be in the building anyway."

- Every Doro-Chiba members struck risking their job?

It was "hell to leave, but hell to remain as well". Even you managed to remain in JR, the working condition and atmosphere got worse because of rationalization. (100,000 out of whole 300,000 workers were dismissed or not "re-employed" at the time of privatization.) I thought I would be purged when I remained in Doro-Chiba headquarter. I've heard the rumor that said: "About half of Doro-Chiba members may be dismissed". I thought it would be better doing everything we could than doing nothing and being fired anyway. I had no hesitation. We fought and didn't let them crush our union. If not, we would've let them blow us severely.


TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS REMAINED IN JR.

- In Doro-Chiba, not just dismissed members, but re-employed members also acted for BUPPAN (selling products & sending cap round) activity.

In our union, we have strong fellow feeling to defend dismissed colleague to the final victory. Every one of us work for BUPPAN activity with minimum 20,000 yen ($2,000 or L1,100) both summer and winter time. It is full-time union official to go and organize nationwide, but it is ordinary members to go to the region they can day-trip.

- Please tell us your experience to go organize nationwide.

It was tough to do at the beginning. In Doro-Chiba, we've fought against authority and have never begged anyone. We weren't used to beg something. And I think it was tough for my family also. I did not go back home and went around for organization activity for one whole month in some period.

Doro-Chiba members won't say "It's painful." even though it's actually painful. We kept fighting more than ten years. Which tells me that we DO want to wreak our mortification.

- What is the secret of the strong bond in Doro-Chiba?

People say that Doro-Chiba has many activists and can strike with just one-day notice. But actually, we are an ordinary trade union. When striking, we discuss at each branch until every one of us understand the target for the fight, then, finally we give it the green light. We could successfully organize various struggles because the caucus has been to the work place and talked with rank and file workers. We've made struggles from the bottom.

* THE STRUGGLE OF FUNABASHI ACCIDENT

- Doro-Chiba's "anti-rationalization, Safety-driving struggle" was established through Funabashi accident struggle in which you were involved. Please tell us about the struggle.

Since I was driving the train which clashed another one from behind, I got arrested and prosecuted and fought in court. In order to gain a victory, I went many places to ask petitions in Chiba prefecture, and got warm welcome. Doro-Chiba fought "anti-rationalization, Safety-driving struggle" with the idea such as: "What is the real cause of accidents? It is rationalization to blame, not each driver!" I got guilty sentence, but smashed dismissal punishment and then returned to the original workplace.

The best thing I learned was: United we stand, divided we fall. It was my first step towards the union activity. It is quite natural for trade union to defend its dismissed members.

(- Interviewer: Yasushi Osawa [ Weekly Zenshin ] )

Continuing to No.2