51st day since the Disaster, 30 April

Japan workers celebrated May Day on 29 April across the country. About 400 JREU and JRU members went to the Central May Day Rally in Tokyo.

The theme was “Revival from the Disaster”.

The message to employers at the rally was: “Do not dismiss contracted and temporary workers.” Many jobs have been lost after the Disaster and 2,000 JREU members are contract workers who can work for five years at most.

31 members lost family and 1297 members lost their homes in the Disaster. Financial security for these people is critical as they begin slowly to rebuild their lives.

Workers are demanding that JRE provide contract workers with regular positions or extend the contract period for more than 5 years.

Thank you for all of your support.

Massa Takahashi
JREU

“The tracks have been damaged in 1700 places” – Extracts from the diary of Massa Takahashi, train driver from the Mito region and Member of the JREU, the RTBU’s sister union

The 28th Day since Disaster, 7 April

Today the leaders of the JREU met in Sendai to review the situation and discuss the vision for relief activities and restoration of the railway in devastated areas.

On the 5^th of April Satoshi Seino, president of the East Japan Railway Company, identified seven local railway lines damaged by the tsunami and announced clearly that JR East Company would restore all off these lines.

According JR East Company, the tracks have been damaged in 1700 places, at 23 stations and a total of 60kms of tracks were washed out along these lines. As these seven lines operate in a low density population area local people are worried the lines might be abolished and union members are on the alert for any suggestion of this.

Thank you for your support.

Massa Takahashi

JREU

“I will be never beaten!” – Extracts from the diary of Massa Takahashi, train driver from the Mito region and Member of the JREU, the RTBU’s sister union

15 March, 5th day of evacuation

We evacuated to a local primary school for shelter.

Sometimes groundless rumors spread, but some information emerged that was true: when we evacuate from leaking radiation we will have to move by ourselves. It began raining. Residents within 20- to 30- km radiuses have been instructed to stay indoors. As the roof of mum’s house is broken I was worrying about her. Around 2pm miso soup was distributed to us. It seemed to be long time since I ate warm meal. It was very delicious and it moved me.

After our decision in the meeting to save electric power, the rooms were dim inside even in daytime. The intercom announced that the pharmacy in the shelter had run out of all medicine but my youngest child still had a fever.

The situation of our members is changing. Because of the increased risk of a nuclear plant accident my fellow workers are leaving their houses behind.

Evacuee numbers in this shelter reduced from 900 to 699 but 5,000 people living in Soma City have already left their homes. We cannot ease the fear of radiation.
Read more »