Abstract
This chapter highlights the agenda of the leading federation of minority workers in Japan (the Japanese Community Union Federation) which has as a distinctive characteristic its recent affiliation to Rengo. Whatever one makes of their minority status, the Federation embraces workers excluded from mainstream union activity because of their social marginalisation. This may comprise exclusion on the basis of their employment status, gender, ethnicity, or other social characteristics. The Federation addresses the concerns of minority workers both inside and outside the labour market. The varied labour market experiences of minority workers tell many tales of marginalisation. After commenting on the social and political context of the minority social and labour movement, which is the social and institutional basis of the Japanese Community Union Federation (JCUF), we assess its formation and trajectory. The JCUF seeks to represent community unions (shin-gata kumiai) at national level. This federation represents many socially and economically marginalised employed and unemployed workers in Japan connected to labour movement and other networks.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Benson, J. (1996) ‘A Typology of Japanese Enterprise Unions’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 34, 3, September, pp. 371–386.
Benson, J. and Debroux, P. (2000) ‘Japanese Trade Unions at the Cross Roads: Dilemmas and Opportunities Created by Globalisation’, Asia Paci fic Business Review, 6, No. 3–4, pp. 114–132, Spring and Summer.
Community Union National Network (2005) Community Union 2005 Zenkoku no Soshiki to Katsudo, Kobe.
Edogawa Chikuro (1983) Roman ni Ikiru — Edogawa Chikuro Sanju’ nen no Ayumi, Tokyo.
Edogawa Union (1994) Edogawa Union Ju’nen no Ayumi — Hashirinagara Kangaeyou, Tokyo.
Fowler, E. (1996) San’Ya Blues: Laboring Life in Contemporary Tokyo. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Fukui, Y. (2005) Nihon ni Okeru Shakai Undo teki Rodo Undo toshite no, Community Union — Kyoeki to Koeki no Aida, Ohara Shakai Mondai Kenkyusho Zasshi No. 562/563, September, Tokyo.
Gottfried, H. and Hayashi-Kato, N. (1998) ‘Gendering Work: Deconstructing the Narrative of the Japanese Economic Miracle’, Work, Employment and Society, Vol. 12, No. 1: 25–46, March.
Hayabusa, N. (2004) Kyoryu no Michi wo Tadoru Rodo Kumiai, Ryokufu Shuppan, Tokyo.
Kawanishi, H. (1992) Enterprise Unionism in Japan. London: RKP.
Kenney, M. and Florida, R. (1993) Beyond Mass Production: The Japanese System and its Transfer to the US. New York/London: OUP.
Kobe Workers Union (2005) Yume no Kakera Tsunage — Union to Hanshin Daishinsai, Kobe.
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (1998, 2005) Rodo Kumiai Kiso Chosa Kakas no Gaikyo, http://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/itiran/roudou/roushi/kiso/05/index.html
Nakamura, K. (ed.) (2005) Suitai ka Saisei ka: Rodo Kumiai Kasseika he no Michi, Keiso Shobo, Tokyo.
Obata, Y. (1996) Community Union to wa Nanita — Hassho to Gensei, Wage & Social Security, Chinsha Henshushitsu, Tokyo.
Obata, Y. (2003) Community Union Undo no Totatsuten to Tenbo, Center for Transnational Labor Studies, October, Tokyo.
Obata, Y. (2005) Interview made by Edson Urano on 27 October, at Edogawa Union, Tokyo.
Ogawa, K. (2001) The Organization of Foreign Workers in Japan: A Case Study of the Kanagawa City Union. Center for Transnational Labour Studies, Bulletin, No. 6, February.
Ogawa, K. (2004) Gaikokujin Rodo Kumiai no Kanosei, in Komai, H. (2004) Imin wo Meguru Jichitai no Seisaku to Shakai Undo, Akashi Shoten, Tokyo.
Oliver, N. and Wilkinson, B. (1992) The Japanisation of British Industry? 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell.
Price, J. (1996) Japan Works: Power and Paradox in Postwar Industrial Relations. Ithaca: ILR Press.
Rawles, S. (1999) ‘Down and Out in Shinjuku Park’, The Observer, May 16th.
RENGO (2003) RENGO Hyoka Iinkai — Saishu Hokoku, September.
Shiro, O. (2005) A Man With No Name: Memoirs of a Tokyo Day Laborer. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Stewart, P. (2006) ‘Marginal Movements and Minority Struggles? The Case of the Japanese Minority Social and Labour Movements’, The Sociological Review, 54(4): 753–773.
Takagi, I. (1988) Community Union Sengen, Daiichi Shorin, Tokyo.
Takagi, I.(1990) Community Union no Soshiki to Katsudo, Shakai Seisaku ni Okeru Kokka to Katsudo, Ocha no Suishobo, Tokyo.
The Economist (2002) ‘The Non-performing Country’, February 14th
The Economist (2002) ‘The Sadness of Japan’, February 14th
Urano, E. and P. Stewart (2005) ‘Including the Excluded Workers? Challenges and Dilemmas of the Japanese Labour Unions’, 23rd International Labour Process Conference, 21–23 March, Strathclyde University, Glasgow.
Urano, E. and P. Stewart (2007) ‘Including the Excluded Workers? The Challenges of Japan’s Kanagawa City Union’, Working USA: The Journal of Labor and Society, Vol. 10, March, pp. 103–123.
Vogel, E.F. (1979) Japan as Number One: Lessons for America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Weekly RENGO (2003) Zenkoku Union, Iyakuhin Rokyo ga Shinkamei, No. 618 http://www.jtuc-rengo.or.jp/news/weekly/no618/03.html.
Whittaker, D. (1998) ‘Labour Unions and Industrial Relations in Japan: Crumbling Pillar or Forging a Third Way?’, Industrial Relations Journal, 29(4): 280–294.
Womack, J.P., Jones, D.T. and Roos, D. (1990) The Machine that Changed the World. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2009 Edson I. Urano and Paul Stewart
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Urano, E.I., Stewart, P. (2009). Beyond Organised Labour in Japan — The Case of the Japanese Community Union Federation. In: McBride, J., Greenwood, I. (eds) Community Unionism. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230242180_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230242180_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-36421-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-24218-0
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social & Cultural Studies CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)