After the rally they demonstrated, chanting slogans of indignation, “Don’t forget the accident!”, “No Nikkin-kyoiku (punitive retraining system of the JR West)” and so on.
Three years have passed so far since the Train-derailed fatal accident took place on the JR Fukuchiyama line. Suffering and sadness of the bereaved families and injured passengers still remains unhealed. How should we respond to voices of the bereaved families? That is being questioned.

Prior to this rally the JRWU held the gathering with 350 union members to “call for complete investigation into the accident and talk on life and safety” at Bay Tower Hotel in Osaka on 11 April. There was a discussion with a theme such as “How the JR West has responded to the survivors and the bereaved families?”, “Has its corporate culture changed?” and “What is a roll of trade unions?”.
A noted journalist, Mr. Akihiro Ohtani, came to give a presentation. He said that he could see how the trade union should be in the struggle of the JRWU. Quoting the mass suicide forced by Imperial Japanese Army in Okinawa, he stated the JR West had the same stance as those who denied the military order which had forced many citizens to kill each other. He condemned “Nikkin-kyoiku” that pushed Bro. Hattori to suicide and kept Mr. Takami, a driver of the derailed train, in a state of fear, and concluded this Nikkin-kyoiku caused the accident.

One of the bereaved families accused the Company of lack of heartiness, saying, “Three years have never alleviated our sorrow.” A mother of an injured young man talked about her son who used to love and play baseball before the accident. They encouraged the JRWU to fight against the Company who cannot understand sufferings of injured survivors and bereaved families, and does not take drastic actions to preserve safety.

On 25 April, we carried out a total action to seek safety. Union members took actions such as “ringing bells of temples” or “floating lanterns on the water” in order to protest against the Company. In addition many drivers pledged never to forget the accident with a whistle.

The JR West still carries on Nikkin-kyoiku which the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission concluded to be a background factor of the accident, and never changes its “safety measures” to blame workers instead of cause investigation.

JRWU / JRU are encouraged by messages given by families of the victims. Supported by them and based on our solidarity and unity strengthened in our fighting, we do fight on to establish safety in the worksites.

=== Appeal of the Rally ===

Three years have passed since the train-derailed accident took place on JR Fukuchiyama-line on 25th April, 2005. We express our sorrow over 107 people’s death, and offer those injured passengers my sincerest apologies.

For these three years those victims have suffered from a wound which has not yet been healed both physically and mentally, and have lived with the reality of ‘accident’. Some of them spoke what they felt at present in the rally, “Gathering for determining the cause of the accident and for talking on human life” held by us on 11th April. The bereaved families vented their anger at the JR West that hasn’t fulfilled accountability about the accident. Families of the injured passengers tearfully insisted on their fury against the Company.

Since the accident occurred, we have stated that it was caused by “safety-ignoring business structure of the JR West which gives priority to profit and operation, a top-down system and blaming workers for mistakes” as symbolized by so-called Nikkin-Kyoiku, a punitive re-training project.

The Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission released “Railway Accident Analysis Report” dated 28th June 2007 on “JR Fukuchiyama Line Train- Derailed Accident”. The report cited overspeed by the driver as a direct factor of the accident, but it concluded the background factor as follows: “Measures to control drivers of the JR West such as Nikkin-Kyoiku or disciplinary punishment could have affected the accident.”

However the Company only made the comment that it “solemnly accept” the final report, and actually doesn’t commit itself to reflection or cause investigation of the accident. Furthermore, it worked out “Basic Safety Program” in April this year, leading to corruption of Nikkin-Kyoiku, and further power-grabbing and strengthening of site supervisors.

At worksites a workers who reported his mistake was punished as violation of the office regulation. Worksite news carried an opinion that stated publicly that the driver had a responsibility for the train-derailed accident on Fukuchiyama line. Thus instead of cause investigation, blaming workers strongly remains in the Company.

In other words, telling the victims and the public that the Company “will change its business structure”, in the company it is all out to dodge its responsibility, addressing “awareness-raising of employees” without reflections and apologies of Nikkin-Kyoiku. We can see a total lie of the management.

It is three scab unions including West Japan Railway Trade Union, affiliated with JR-Rengo that back up this double-dealing. They are praising “Basic Safety Program” as “a new starting line for us as JR West employees to be determined to make the safest railway system”. The “scab unions” are now one of the behind-the-scenes labor management agencies that pay no notice to workers.

We call for abolishment of Nikkin-Kyoiku and cry against blaming workers for the accident. Listening to the voices of workers oppressed by the Company and leaders of the “scab union”, we do reinforce and advance struggles for safety without allowing our memories of JR Fukuchiyama line train derailed accident to fade away.

24th April, 2008

West Japan Railway Workers’ Union