INCLUDING THE EXCLUDED WORKERS? THE CHALLENGES OF JAPAN'S KANAGAWA CITY UNION

Abstract

Historically, Japanese labor unions have organized the core of the labor force in Japanese companies. The increase in the number of nonregular employees in the labor market and the decrease of the unionization of core regular workers is imposing new challenges on the mainstream labor movement. Against this backdrop labor supply takes on a new dimension, notably as a result of a falling birth rate and the role of foreign workers. The latter takes on a distinct significance in this context. This article will provide an assessment of the latent and more obvious difficulties facing the unionization of foreign workers by focusing on the experience of labor activists in Kanagawa City Union, in Kanagawa Prefecture just south of Tokyo. This minority union organizes many Latin American workers, among whom Peruvians form the most numerous group. The second issue surrounds the precarious nature of workers’ employment. The third and final matter addresses the character of the response by mainstream labor, especially Rengo, to this and other community unions. Finally, how and to what extent can the distinctive structure of such marginal unions provide a new dimension to the analysis of the problems casual workers are facing in society?