U.S. bases in Japan adjust to workers’ second strike

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Japanese base workers protest outside Yokota Air Base’s main gate on Friday. Protesters went on a full-day strike Friday at bases in Japan and Okinawa, their second walkout in 10 days


U.S. bases in Japan adjust to workers’ second strike
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, December 2, 2007

A second strike in 10 days by Japanese base workers was carried out peacefully, with only one incident reported at U.S. military installations around the country.

An altercation unfolded Friday morning at the main gate outside Camp Zama when striking union members began pushing and shoving some Japanese master labor contract employees attempting to get on post, Army officials said.

U.S. soldiers providing security at the gate contacted Japanese national police, who broke up the altercation, according to Lt. Col. Raymond Smith, the U.S. Army Japan provost marshal. He said he was unaware of any arrests.

But the strike’s effects were a little more pronounced inside base walls Friday, where clubs, commissaries and exchanges modified their hours to deal with staffing shortages. In some areas, select gates were closed for much of the day, and U.S. personnel had to work extra hours to fill labor gaps.

U.S. servicemembers also provided security Friday at many base gates. Department of Defense Dependents Schools were open on most bases but a few went without regular bus transport and cafeteria service.

The Japanese employees conducted a four-hour strike Nov. 21. Friday’s lasted the entire day.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50659