January 30, 2018
A labor-management council involved in the trucking industry made representations on January 29 to the Transport Ministry, relevant ministries and agencies, and the Japan Trucking Association to demand that specific measures be taken to set "standard prices" and prevent beating down of rates so as to ensure safe transportation.
The council consisting of transport firm owners and the All Japan Construction, Transport and General Workers' Union (CTG, Kenkoro) made a demand for fair freight rates by taking considerations of social costs, which include labor costs and the consumption tax, into account. Both employers and workers also demanded that state authorities crack down on unfair practices such as beating down transport costs.
In addition, the bilateral group stressed the need to redress the prevalence of long working hours in order to solve the shortage of drivers and thoroughly instruct the industry to fulfill its obligation to share social security premiums.
To make government officials know the present state of the industry, the petitioners said: Although both employees and management work very hard, almost to their limits, their efforts do not yield profits. Due to the long working hours, most job seekers do not want to become truck drivers. Fuel prices are increasing transport charges. Freight prices should be increased before the improvement in efficiency and productivity.
Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Miyamoto Takeshi and Motomura Nobuko (House of Representatives) and Yamazoe Taku (House of Councilors), along with Liberal Party member of the Upper House Aoki Ai, accompanied the day's petitioning activity.
The 1990 deregulation in the trucking industry liberalized freight charges and this increased new entries. As a result, the pricing wars have brought about prolonged low wages and deteriorating business circumstances and working conditions.
Past related article:
> Truck drivers’ being overworked due to deregulation triggers major accidents [October 31, 2016]
The council consisting of transport firm owners and the All Japan Construction, Transport and General Workers' Union (CTG, Kenkoro) made a demand for fair freight rates by taking considerations of social costs, which include labor costs and the consumption tax, into account. Both employers and workers also demanded that state authorities crack down on unfair practices such as beating down transport costs.
In addition, the bilateral group stressed the need to redress the prevalence of long working hours in order to solve the shortage of drivers and thoroughly instruct the industry to fulfill its obligation to share social security premiums.
To make government officials know the present state of the industry, the petitioners said: Although both employees and management work very hard, almost to their limits, their efforts do not yield profits. Due to the long working hours, most job seekers do not want to become truck drivers. Fuel prices are increasing transport charges. Freight prices should be increased before the improvement in efficiency and productivity.
Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Miyamoto Takeshi and Motomura Nobuko (House of Representatives) and Yamazoe Taku (House of Councilors), along with Liberal Party member of the Upper House Aoki Ai, accompanied the day's petitioning activity.
The 1990 deregulation in the trucking industry liberalized freight charges and this increased new entries. As a result, the pricing wars have brought about prolonged low wages and deteriorating business circumstances and working conditions.
Past related article:
> Truck drivers’ being overworked due to deregulation triggers major accidents [October 31, 2016]
