Pittsburgh - March 22, 2011
On behalf of the members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), we are writing to express our union’s great concern and deep sympathy for the people of Japan as they continue to deal with the devastation and massive loss of life resulting from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent crisis at the Fukusima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The Japanese people are grieving the deaths of thousands, at the same time they are engaged in the herculean tasks of rescuing and meeting basic needs for hundreds of thousands in the devastated northeast region of their country. In addition, the only nation on earth ever to suffer attack by nuclear weapons is now trying desperately to prevent one of history’s worst nuclear power disasters from spinning further out of control and causing even more death, disease and environmental damage.
We especially want to convey our sympathy, support and solidarity to the leadership, affiliates and members of Zenroren, the National Confederation of Trade Unions in Japan, a progressive labor organization of more than a million members with which UE has enjoyed a warm and productive fraternal relationship for years. Many members of Zenroren from Japan’s northeast coast died in the initial impact of the earthquake and tsunami, including the entire workforce of an elder care home (along with all of their patients). Many more are missing, including one-third of the municipal union members in one city, and like the tens of thousands of other victims, some of these union members may never be found alive. To the families, friends and co-workers of those who have been lost, we express our condolences.
The leaders and members of Zenroren are to be applauded for responding to this national moment of destruction and heartbreak by immediately swinging into action. The union federation quickly established a Disaster Response Committee and is sending medical workers into the devastated area and organizing rescue and emergency relief efforts. We strongly encourage Zenroren members in this courageous and important work.
Before the disaster hit, Zenroren had planned unified actions across the country on March 17 and 18 to launch its Spring Struggle of coordinated collective bargaining in the private sector. But the unions have shifted their focus to relief activities, in some cases even postponing strike action. For example, in Osaka 2,000 members took part in actions on March 17 and collected more than 1 million yen in relief donations. Zenroren’s Osaka federation prepared 660 pounds of rice and 28,000 dust masks for delivery to the northeast. Members of Zenroren’s local federation in Aichi sent an oil tank truck to deliver nearly 1,000 gallons of heating oil to the disaster zone. Zenroren members across Japan are engaged in similar efforts.
Zenroren has been a good friend and consistent ally of UE for the past decade and a half. Our members have met each other in worker-to-worker exchanges in both Japan and the United States, and shared experiences and lessons from their struggles. Over the years Zenroren’s help and intervention has proved indispensable in several situations in which UE locals and members have been in very difficult struggles against employers in the U.S. owned by Japanese transnational corporations.
Our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in Zenroren. We are proud of the way they have responded to this terrible and tragic disaster with organized action, to save lives and to improve the situation for the victims and for the working people of Japan. In doing so, they are carrying on the best traditions of the international workers’ movement.
Zenroren has requested expressions of solidarity from unions around the world, as well as financial contributions to its relief efforts. We urge UE regions, locals and members to contribute generously through the UE Research and Education Fund. (Contributions are tax-deductible and can be made online here; please designate your contribution for "Zenroren.")
John H. Hovis Bruce J. Klipple Robert B. Kingsley
President Secretary-Treasurer Director of Organization