Industrial Workers of the World

"then dump the bosses off yer back"

Tent City for Jobless over the New Years Period was opened at Hibiya Park in Tokyo. Many temp workers who were laid off gathered. Produced by Video Press. Subtitled by Internationl division of Labor Net Japan. http://labornetjp.blogspot.com/2009/02/tent-city-for-joblessmovie-with-english.html

MORE: http://www.povnet.org/node/3076

Japanese tent city for unemployed January 9, 2009 - 11:30am Over the new year, a tent village was set up by a number of volunteer groups in a Tokyo park for the country’s growing number of unemployed workers. The organizers led a march to demand stable employment and housing.

The tent city filled up so quickly that the government was forced to open up shelters to house the unemployed workers....

More Information: "Hibiya Park tent village for laid-off workers draws 300" - January 3, 2009, The Japan Times Online "Park tent village moved to gov't building to accommodate overflow" - January 4, 2009, Japan Today "Jobless flood 'tent village'" - January 4, 2009, The Straights Times "Hibiya Park tent city for jobless closes down" January 6, 2009, The Japan Times Online more: In the morning of Jan. 25, police forced eviction of workers who took over the management of Keihin Hotel after the business went bankrupt. Having sensed the danger, the workers and a support union organized the defensive action overnight.

Nearly 300 workers resisted by saying, "Don't deprive the rights to life of the employees of Keihin Hotel." Shortly after 9 a.m., the authorities ordered the riot police to attack the workers at the picket line (See photo). As the workers blocked the entry, the battle continued for 25 minutes. The raid police pulled the unionists one by one, and by 9:30 a.m. it forced entry to the hotel. "Is this the Japanese law? The police who is supposed to protect citizens should never be forgiven for taking such an action against them. We will not yield. We will spring back," said the union representative Kanamoto(photo), who fell to the ground in angry tears.

See video clips on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GC0kTC30jU&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/uniontube55?gl=JP&hl=ja

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