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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Let us make 2006 Spring Struggle a first step of advance for trade union movement
Akahata editorial

This year's Spring Struggle takes on a new feature in the sense that trade unions of large corporations in the private sector are demanding wage increases for the fist time in several years.

This is because the very reason why trade unions exist is now being called into question under the circumstances that the wage for workers has been cut for 7 years in a row and large corporations continue to report record profits for 3 straight quarters and have gained 83 trillion yen in surplus funds.

Uniting all workers

At a time when financial circles and large corporations are trying to rigorously restrain wages on the grounds of maintaining an international competitiveness edge, the key to winning a wage increase is summoning all workers' willingness and strength to struggle.

The first step to deal with this situation is to share among colleagues in places of work the common understanding that wage cuts for a long period of time, sometimes combined with heavy workloads and eventually with the loss of jobs, and the adverse revisions of the tax and social services systems have caused serious social problems such as widespread poverty and widening social gaps. The mass media are taking up these topics almost every day.

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) is calling for this year's Spring Struggle to focus on young people, women, and non-regular workers. The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) is also demanding the equal treatment of part-time workers with regular workers and an increase in their hourly wages. The two major trade union organizations are calling attention to the struggle for higher minimum wages, decent wages for work in public projects at the order of central and local governments, and higher wages to be achieved by fair trade between large corporations and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Raising the level of pay for all workers, the common call of the two national centers, will greatly help to block the widening social gaps in and the increasing "polarization" of Japanese society. The demand will also help to summon all workers' energies to win wage increases at individual corporations.

Winning wage increases for all workers is indispensable to achieve the growth of the Japanese economy through boosting domestic demand and personal consumption instead of relying on exports and corporate "restructuring" at the cost of workers.

It is also important to fight back against attacks on public service workers from the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party.

If government and other public sector workers' wages are cut, it will produce a vicious circle of further wage cuts in the private and public sectors. If we capitulate to the argument that "public sector workers have agreed to endure hardships," it will be used as another justification for tax increases and further drastic cutbacks in social welfare services.

All these measures will further lead to the shrinking of personal consumption and inflict serious damage to regional economies as well as the national economy. This is why even the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) is strongly opposed to the attack on government and other public sector employees.

Both Zenroren and Rengo call for opposition to major tax increases and adverse revision of social welfare services that violate the public interest. They are resolved to fulfill their social responsibilities and are leading the struggle.

Contrary to this, major corporations are neglecting to fulfill their social responsibility.

Their cost-cutting strategy to make as much profits as possible has worsened the employment situation and working conditions. Successive pressures to cut parts prices have gutted subcontracting suppliers' "productive power." This has contributed to increasing numbers of serious accidents, defective products, and corporate crime.

As the result of corporate restructuring and government "structural reform," the poverty rate and the social gap increased in Japan to the extent that the very sustainability of its socio-economic system is called in question.

Increase social solidarity

Under these circumstances, the demands of trade unions as well as small- and medium-sized suppliers and people of all sectors are converging.

Let's make a success of the 2006 Spring Struggle and rise in a major struggle invoking social solidarity. It will be a new first step toward a major trade union advance.
- Akahata editorial, February 18, 2006