Association of Neutral Labour Unions

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The Association of Neutral Labour Unions (中立労働組合連絡会議, Chūritsu rōdō kumiai renraku kaigi), better known by its Japanese abbreviation Chūritsu Rōren, was a national trade union federation in Japan from 1956 to 1987.

Chūritsu Rōren was established in 1956 as an association of labor unions affiliated with the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (Sōhyō), but that were increasingly dismayed by Sōhyō's promotion of contentious non-workplace struggles in support of left-wing political objectives. By calling themselves the "Association of Neutral Labour Unions," Chūritsu Rōren was signaling its "neutral" (chūritsuteki) position in the ideological struggles of the global Cold War.[1]

Initially, Chūritsu Rōren was a loose association still remaining within and not clearly distinguished from Sōhyō, even continuing to share most of its staff with Sōhyō, albeit avoiding any overt affiliation with Sōhyō's main political affiliate, the Japan Socialist Party. Over time, however, Chūritsu Rōren became more conservative and built up its own staff, but continued to co-operate with Sōhyō in many cases.[2]

Although Chūritsu Rōren generally shied away from overtly political actions, the association did participate in the successful struggle in 1958 to defeat the revision of the Police Duties Bill proposed by conservative prime minister Nobusuke Kishi, as well as the ensuing 1960 Anpo protests against revision of the US-Japan Security Treaty, both of which opponents were successfully able to portray as not so much left-right political issues but rather as basic threats to Japanese democracy and civil rights.[3]

After the spectacular failure of the Miike Coal Mine Strike in 1960 and the general discrediting of Sōhyō's political struggles, Chūritsu Rōren increasingly made inroads with unions previously affiliated with Sōhyō during the 1960s.[4] By 1967, the association claimed 1,200,000 members,[2] and reached 1,321,000 members in 1978, almost all in the private sector. That year, it formed a loose association with the National Federation Of Industrial Organisations (Shinsambetsu), intending to merge in the future.[5] In 1987, Chūritsu Rōren merged with both Shinsambetsu and the larger Japanese Confederation of Labour, to form RENGO.[6]

Affiliates[edit]

The following unions were affiliated:

Union Abbreviation Founded[7] Left Reason not affiliated Membership (1970)[8] Membership (1985)[7]
All Japan Electric Wire Labour Union Zendensen 1946 1987 Transferred to Rengo 37,020 43,486
All Japan Federation of Food Industries Workers' Unions Shokuhinroren 1965 1987 Transferred to Rengo 93,898 66,372
All Japan Oil Workers' Union Zensekiyu 1947 1987 Transferred to Rengo 24,732
All Japan Shipbuilding and Machine Workers' Unions Zenzosenkikai 1946 1987 Transferred to Sohyo 53,600 5,555
Confederation of Movie and Theatre Workers Eiensoren 1952 1980 Disaffiliated 4,743 2,413
Federation of Rolling Stock Industry Workers' Unions Sharyororen 1972 Dissolved 18,207 N/A
Japanese Federation of Electric Machine Workers' Unions Denkiroren 1953 1987 Transferred to Rengo 438,458 632,814
Japan Tourist Bureau Workers' Union Kotsukosha 8,826 N/A
National Confederation of Beer Brewery Workers' Unions Zenkokubiiru 1949 1980 Disaffiliated 15,046 13,334
National Federation of Cement Workers' Unions of Japan Zenkokusemento 1947 1987 Transferred to Rengo 28,348 17,708
National Federation of Ceramic Industry Workers' Unions Zenyoren 1949 1987 Transferred to Rengo 40,777 23,652
National Federation of Construction Workers' Unions Zenkensoren 1960 1987 Disaffiliated 219,558 351,816
National Federation of Gas Supply Workers' Unions Zenkokugasu 1947 1987 Transferred to Rengo 19,403 25,790
National Federation of Hotel Workers' Unions Hoteruroren 1948 1974 Transferred to Sohyo 6,376 12,383
National Federation of Life Insurance Brokers' Unions Zengairen 1969 Merged into Seihororen 207,900 N/A
National Federation of Life Insurance Salesmen's Unions Zenseiho 1969 Merged into Seihororen 56,000 N/A
National Federation of Life Insurance Workers' Unions Seihororen 1969 1987 Transferred to Rengo N/A 369,799
Railway Welfare Aid Association Workers' Union Tetsukoro 1972 Transferred to Sohyo 23,844 N/A

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0674984424.
  2. ^ a b Chaffee, Frederick H. (1969). Area Handbook for Japan. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
  3. ^ Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-0674984424.
  4. ^ Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0674984424.
  5. ^ Country Labor Profile: Japan. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs. 1979. p. 5.
  6. ^ Carlile, Lonny E. (1994). "Party Politics and the Japanese Labor Movement: Rengo's "New Political Force"". Asian Survey. 34 (7). doi:10.2307/2645371. JSTOR 2645371.
  7. ^ a b Seifert, Wolfgang (13 March 2013). Gewerkschaften in der japanischen Politik von 1970 bis 1990. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. ISBN 9783322899309.
  8. ^ Labor Law and Practice in Japan. Washington DC: United States Department of Labor. 1970.
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