RENGO

Rengo

Full name	Japanese Trade Union Confederation
Native name	Nihon Rōdōkumiai Sōrengōkai
Founded	1989
Members	6.83 million (2009)
Affiliation	ITUC, TUAC
Key people	Nobuaki Koga, president, Hiroyuki Nagumo, general secretary
Office location	Kanda-Surugudai, Tokyo, Japan
Country	Japan
Website	www.jtuc-rengo.org

RENGO (連合 Rengō), which stands for Japanese Trade Union Confederation (日本労働組合総連合会 Nihon Rōdōkumiai Sōrengōkai), is the largest national trade union center in Japan, with over six million members as of 2011.^[1] It was founded in 1989 as a result of the merger of the Japan Confederation of Labor (Domei) and the Federation of Independent Labor Unions (Churitsu Roren). In 1990, General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (Sohyo) also joined RENGO.

As of July 2012 it has 54 affiliate unions and 47 local organizations.^[2]

Party affiliation

Rengo is affiliated with the Democratic Party of Japan, but on June 28, 2012 Rengo president Nobuaki Koga made a speech at Liberal Democratic Party headquarters stating that the confederation may reconsider its future.^[3][4] In 2014, it endorsed LDP-supported candidate Yoichi Masuzoe for the Tokyo gubernatorial election.^[5]

Affiliated organizations

Rengo HQ in Kanda-Surugadai

Many unions are affiliated to Rengo:^[6][7]

• UI ZENSEN The Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food, Commercial, Service and General Workers' Unions (986,414 members as of 2009)
• JICHIRO All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union (887,174 members as of 2009)
• JIDOSHA SOREN Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions (JAW) (741,747 members as of 2009)
• DENKI RENGO Japanese Electrical Electronic & Information Union (616,571 members as of 2009)
• JAM Japanese Association of Metal, Machinery and Manufacturing Workers (370,256 members as of 2009)
• NIKKYOSO Japan Teachers' Union (JTU) (290,857 members as of 2009)
• KIKAN ROREN Japan Federation of Basic Industry Workers' Unions (JBU) (248,781 members as of 2009)
• SEIHO ROREN National Federation of Life Insurance Workers' Unions (241,967 members as of 2009)
• ICTJ The Federation of Information and Communication Technology Service Workers of Japan (220,730 members as of 2009)
• JPGU Japan Postal Group Union (216,186 members as of 2009)
• DENRYOKU SOREN The Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Workers' Unions of Japan (214,019 members as of 2009)
• JSD Japan Federation of Service and Distributive Workers Unions (210,234 members as of 2009)
• JEC RENGO Japan Federation of Energy and Chemistry Workers Unions (158,958 members as of 2009)
• UNYU ROREN All Japan Federation of Transport Workers' Unions (128,407 members as of 2009)
• SHITETSU SOREN General Federation of Private Railway & Bus Workers' Unions of Japan (111,944 members as of 2009)
• KOKKO RENGO Japan Public Sector Union (110,766 members as of 2009)
• FOOD RENGO Federation of All Japan Foods and Tobacco Workers' Unions (JFU) (97,762 members as of 2009)
• SONPO ROREN Federation of Non-Life Insurance Workers' Unions of Japan (FNIU) (68,027 members as of 2009)
• JR RENGO Japan Railway Trade Unions Confederation (JRTU) (63,000 members as of 2009)
• JR SOREN Japan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions (JRU) (55,046 members as of 2009)
• KOTSU-ROREN Japan Federation of Transport Workers' Unions (JFT) (53,835 members as of 2009)
• KAIIN KUMIAI All Japan Seamen's Union (JSU) (45,000 members as of 2009)
• SERVICE RENGO Japan Federation of Service & Tourism Industries Workers' Unions (44,029 members as of 2009)
• GOMU RENGO Japanese Rubber Workers' Union Confederation (43,481 members as of 2009)
• KOKU RENGO Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions (JFAIU) (36,183 members as of 2009)
• ZENJIKO ROREN National Federation of Automobile Transport Workers Unions (35,285 members as of 2009)
• KAMIPA RENGO Japanese Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers' Unions (30,713 members as of 2009)
• ZEN DENSEN Japan Federation of Electric Wire Workers' Unions (JEWU) (28,205 members as of 2009)
• TOSHIKO The All Japan Municipal Transport Workers’ Union (27,864 members as of 2009)
• ZEN SUIDO All-Japan Water Supply Workers’ Union (25,998 members as of 2009)
• ZENKOKU GAS The Federation of Gas Workers' Unions of Japan (25,676 members as of 2009)
• INSATSU ROREN Federation of Printing Information Media Workers' Unions (20,667 as of 2009)
• CERAMICS RENGO All Japan Federation of Ceramics Industry Workers (18,900 members as of 2009)
• ZENGIN RENGO All Japan Federative Council of Bank Labours' Unions (15,590 members as of 2009)
• ZENKOKU-NODANRO National Federation of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Corporations' Workers' Unions (15,446 members as of 2009)
• NHK ROREN The Federation of All-NHK Labour Unions (11,584 members as of 2009)
• SHINRIN ROREN Federation of All Japanese Forest-relating-industries Workers' Unions (8,295 members as of 2009)
• Health Care ROKYO Japanese Health Care Workers' Union (7,777 members as of 2009)
• ZEN ROKIN Federation of Labour Bank Workers Unions of Japan (6,397 members as of 2009)
• KENSETSU RENGO Japan Construction Trade Union Confederation (6,000 members as of 2009)
• ZENSHIN ROREN All Japan Community Bank Labour Union Association (4,906 members as of 2009)
• ZEN INSATSU All Printing Bureau Labour Union (4,568 members as of 2009)
• ROKYO ROREN (3,860 members as of 2009)
• ROSAI ROREN Federation of ZENROSAI Trade Unions (3,378 members as of 2009)
• ZENKOKU UNION Japan Community Workers Union Federation (3,350 members as of 2009)
• JICHI ROREN National Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Unions (3,302 members as of 2009)
• ZENKOKU KEIBA RENGO National Federation of Horse-racing Workers (3,032 members as of 2009)
• ZENZOSEN-KIKAI All Japan Shipbuilding and Engineering Union (1,389 members as of 2009)
• JA RENGO All Japan Agriculture Cooperative Staff Members' Union (1,296 members as of 2009)
• KOUN-DOMEI Japanese Confederation of Port and Transport Workers' Unions (1,200 members as of 2009)
• ZEN ZOHEI All Mint Labour Union (995 members as of 2009)
• ZEN-EIEN National Cinema and Theater Workers' Union (300 members as of 2009)
• KOKU RENGO Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions (JFAIU)

Observer affiliate:

• DOKIRO Hokkaido Seasonal Workers' Union (2,660 members as of 2009)

Friendly affiliate:

• NIKKENKYO Council of Japan Construction Industry Employee's Unions (35,624 members as of 2009)

Local organizations

Rengo also has local organizations for each of Japan's 47 prefectures.^[8]

See also

• Labor unions in Japan

References

1. Rengo website Rengo brochure 2010-2011 Retrieved on July 6, 2012
2. Rengo website Role and Function Retrieved on July 6, 2012
3. The Daily Yomiuri Rengo may rethink support for DPJ Retrieved on July 4, 2012
4. The Japan Times Labor leader hints at cooler DPJ ties Retrieved on July 4, 2012
5. "舛添氏と連合東京が協定　都知事選、細川氏は小泉氏側と詰め". 日本経済新聞. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
6. Rengo website Affiliates Retrieved on July 6, 2012
7. Rengo website Rengo brochure 2010-2011 Retrieved on July 6, 2012
8. Rengo website Role and Function Retrieved on July 6, 2012

Sources

• Rengo website
• ICTUR et al.,, ed. (2005). Trade Unions of the World (6th ed.). London, UK: John Harper Publishing. ISBN 0-9543811-5-7.

External links

• (English) Japanese Trade Union Confederation