Japanese base union plans Friday strike over pay cuts

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Japanese base union plans Friday strike over pay cuts
By Hana Kusumoto and Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, November 29, 2007

TOKYO — A Japanese base workers labor union decided Tuesday to go on an all-day strike Friday to protest the Japanese government’s plan to cut their salaries.

Leaders of Zenchuro, or the Japan Garrison Forces Labor Union, met with Ministry of Defense officials Tuesday but no progress was made in the negotiations, said Tsuneo Teruya, secretary-general of Zenchuro headquarters in Tokyo.

“No gaps were filled,” Teruya said.

The strike scheduled for Friday will last eight hours and will begin at the start of the business day of each worker, according to Zenchuro officials.

Union members will picket at base gates throughout Japan and Okinawa, calling on Japanese base workers to participate in the strike. U.S. personnel and contractors may be asked to show their IDs at the picket lines but will be able to go through the gate, the union said.

Marine Master Sgt. Terence Peck, a U.S. Forces Japan spokesman at Yokota Air Base, said officials don’t anticipate any problems with authorized U.S. personnel gaining access to military installations during the strike. However, as standard policy, they are encouraging servicemembers, civilians and dependents to avoid locations where demonstrations or protests are taking place, he said.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50576