[2] Dōrō was a major union, along with Kokuro, representing workers who worked for Japanese National Railways (JNR).
Dōrō-Chiba split off after its executive committee members had been expelled by Dōrō national leadership because of their support for the struggle of farmers in Chiba Prefecture against the operation and expansion of Narita International Airport.
Workers who had supported the privatization, or those who left Kokuro, were hired at substantially higher rates than members of Kokurō, Zenōrō and Dōrō-Chiba.
[8] There was a government pledge that no one would be "Thrown out onto the street",[9] so unhired workers were classified as "needing to be employed" and were transferred to the JNR Settlement Corporation, where they could be assigned for up to three years.
23 years after the original privatization, on June 28, 2010, the Supreme Court settled the dispute between the workers and the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency, the successor body to the JNR Settlement Corporation.