April 10, 2014

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Tatsumi Kotaro on April 3 at a House Land and Transport Committee meeting urged the government to work to increase construction workers’ wages and create a law on public contracts.

In the construction industry, workers’ wage level has been showing a downward trend due to various factors such as price-dumping practices. The annual average income of construction workers is 3.91 million yen while male workers in Japan earn 5.29 million yen on average annually. Under this situation, workers, especially young workers, are keeping away from the construction industry.

Tatsumi referred to results of a survey conducted in September 2013 by the Kanagawa Prefectural Construction Labor Union Federation indicating that actual payments to construction workers were 2,700-12,000 yen lower than the amount set at the design stage.

The JCP lawmaker also cited the fact that 10 municipalities have already created a public contract ordinance which guarantees decent wages to workers for public works contractors.

He requested that the government enact legislation on public contracts in order to ensure higher wages for construction workers.