Workers at U.S. bases in Japan go on strike

[unhappycamper]

Workers at U.S. bases in Japan go on strike
Kyodo
Posted : Tuesday Nov 20, 2007 22:16:14 EST

YOKOSUKA, Japan — Unionized workers at U.S. military bases in Japan went on strike nationwide Wednesday morning for the first time in 16 years to protest benefits cuts proposed by the Japanese government, which covers personnel expenses and other operational costs for the bases.

The 16,000-member All Japan Garrison Forces Labor Union, also known as Zenchuro, said the action covers a limited number of hours and that workers from nine chapters started to go on strike for four hours of each shift. The whole campaign, which started early in the morning, will last until midnight Wednesday, it said.

The striking workers included those at the U.S. Yokota Air Base, where the headquarters of the U.S. Forces is located, and bases in Okinawa Prefecture, which hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan.

They are mainly working in restaurants on the bases and are involved in cleaning and housing maintenance jobs, according to the union.

In Yokosuka, a port city south of Tokyo that is home to the U.S. Navy headquarters in Japan, some 200 union members picketed in front of the naval base’s main gate holding placards with messages such as, “We’re on strike.”

“We know the government and some in the public say the amount of special allowances for U.S. base workers is too much. But we hope such people understand the workers are always faced with an unstable employment situation,” said Yokosuka city assembly member Norio Sakuma, 52, a member of the union’s local branch.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/kyo_japanstrike_071120/