All Liverpool dockers, families and fellowmen in support of the struggle, I come from Japan on behalf of the National Council of Dockworkers' Unions of Japan (ZENKOKU KOWAN) which is organised by Japanese dockers. I am indeed very happy to be here to demonstrate our strong support and sincere solidarity towards your struggle.
First of all, I would like to express our admiration towards the consistent unity you Liverpool dockers have maintained throughout your struggle of over a year and five months. I greatly sympathise with you for your hardships standing on the picket line day and night in the freezing weather. Surely, words are not enough to describe the concerns of your families who have shared your hardships in keeping up the struggle to live. The National Council of Dockworkers' Unions of Japan has sent a contribution worth 2.5 million yen in two phases. I know that this is a meagre amount to support your struggle, but I do hope that this token of enthusiastic solidarity of the dockers from across the ocean will serve as encouragement for keeping up your spirits. It is a matter of course that you should reject and stand against the attack of Mersey Dock and Harbour Company who are forcing you to work as part-timers or casual labourers. The endless competition of the shipping companies in cutting down their costs has resulted in the total sacrifice on the side of the dockers who are obliged to accept employment and life without any security. It is like going back to the days when mafia groups used to control the ports. In a broader sense, this struggle of yours is a fight against a change for the worse in Labour Law promoted by the Thatcher and Major governments from the 80's to this date with the aim to weaken labour unions.
We had known that the National Dock Labour Scheme in your country was abolished in 1989, but it was not until we heard news of the struggle in Liverpool that we learnt about the great impact upon the dockers participating in TGWU and the ongoing privatisation of ports. All Japan Dockworkers' Union, which I am a member of, marked its 50th anniversary last year. The union was established soon after the Second World War in the hope of realising a similar system to that then operating in Britain, by obtaining your Dockers' Act. Our efforts to this date have been supported by the solidarity action of dockers in the Asian Pacific Region. Although the Dockers' Act in Japan was enacted in 1966, it was not the kind of law we had all awaited. Nevertheless, it is rated as one of the few industrial labour systems in Japan, which requires dockers employed by stevedore companies and casual labourers to be registered at Public Employment Security Offices.
Ever since the enactment of the Dockers' Act, permanent employment of dockers became popular and now a great majority of them are employed by stevedore and handling companies. With the revision made to our Dockers' Act in 1989, extra labourers required to comply with the fluctuating labour demand are dispatched from centres jointly operated by stevedore and handling companies. The recent labour-saving measures promoted in the field of port labour, however, have been a great threat to the very existence of these centres.
At present restructuring of consortiums is carried out by shipping companies including consolidation of container terminals. This has resulted in employment insecurity for those working in container terminals. Foreign shipping companies, who want to have the freedom of selecting terminals without any restrictions, complain that the preliminary agreement system with labour unions in Japan is unfair and discriminating to them. The European Union has made an appeal to the World Trade Organisation on the issue. The Federal Maritime Committee in the US has also followed suit claiming that they will charge a penalty of $100,000 for every Japanese vessel entering US ports. In our country industrial collective bargaining is established by the National Council of Dockworkers' Unions of Japan and Japan Harbour Transport Association which is an organisation of stevedore and handling companies. Preliminary talks are now underway to prepare for the introduction of a new transport measure along with other issues.
Shipping companies only consult with Japan Harbour Transport Association instead of dealing directly in labour issues. They are now criticizing the system they themselves have approved in the past giving pressure to the Japanese government to intervene in labour-management agreements. It is undeniable that this attitude is illogical. At the request of the National Council of Dockworkers' Unions of Japan, ITF has made a protest to EU on the issue.
Last December the Japanese Ministry of Transportation announced its policy to promote deregulation in ports. It is anticipated that free entries in stevedore business will attract shippers, overland transport companies and foreign terminal companies to seek for business opportunities. Wharfs will be operated by private companies. This will surely cause dismissal of many dockers and worsening of labour conditions. The government is also planning an undesirable amendment of the system to weaken labour unions as part of their deregulation policy in the labour field. On 20 January we held workshop meetings at 50 of our member ports in Japan in solidarity with the Liverpool dockers and in protest against port deregulation. I am pleased to inform you that the representatives from All Japan Seamen's Union and another dockers' organisation called All Japan Confederation of Dock and Transport Workers' Unions took part in the meetings. On 14 February, 600 union members joined in a demonstration march to the Ministry of Transportation. On 28 February some more workshop meetings are being held and on 12 March we are planning to hold a 24 hour strike to stop port operations across the country. This struggle has a long way to go since it is an appeal to the government for establishing a new job security system for dockers in Japan. I strongly support your proposal of setting up a "Hiring Hall in the Port of Liverpool". Let us join our hands to establish a system that provides stable employment and living conditions for dockers.
Along with the global economic activities, targets of attacks made by shipping companies have also become international. In order to stand against this trend, we dockers should protect ourselves by global solidarity. The International Day of Action held on 20 January marked a new page for international solidarity of dockers around the world. I have no doubt that you, Liverpool dockers, who have a long history of struggle of over a century, will play a key role in uniting the worldwide dockers through your struggle, and eventually achieve a glorious victory.
Victory to the Liverpool dockers! Hurrah to international solidarity of dockers!
Lastly, I would like to offer you this red banner that I brought from Japan. It is a tradition in Japanese labour movement to send a red banner, autographed by the comrades to demonstrate their support and encouragement to a struggle. The autographs on this banner were made by those who attended the central committee meeting of All Japan Dockworkers' Union held last week.
Thank you for your attention.
