June 5, 2020

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and various independent unions on June 4 held a gathering in the Diet building to urge the government to take action for higher minimum wages in order to protect workers’ livelihoods from the coronavirus recession.

They also handed over more than 110,000 signatures calling for a nationwide uniform minimum wage system to lawmakers of political parties, including the Japanese Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party.

In the gathering, Zenroren President Odagawa Yoshikazu pointed out that Prime Minister Abe recently showed reluctance to take measures to increase minimum hourly wages on the grounds that smaller businesses are experiencing financial distress due to the coronavirus pandemic. Odagawa said, “Amid the coronavirus crisis, the government should now support small- and medium-sized firms to provide higher minimum wages to workers.”

Odagawa also said that the government should implement policies to require large corporations and the rich to pay their fair share of taxes and protect SMEs and workers from the coronavirus-induced economic crisis.

Lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties delivered speeches in solidarity.

JCP Miyamoto Toru (Lower House) referred to the issue of low wages of workers working at hospitals, nursing-care facilities, and other workplaces having a high risk of being exposed to the virus.

LDP Mutai Shunsuke (Lower House) said, “At present, we are having a tough time due to the pandemic, so it is necessary to increase minimum hourly wages to remove workers’ anxiety about their future.”

The submission of the 110,000 signatures took place as part of the day of action calling for government measures to protect people’s lives and workers’ jobs during the corona crisis. Union activists also conducted petitioning to government ministries and street campaigns at various locations in Tokyo for increasing public support for their demands.

Past related article:
> Zenroren publishes urgent proposal in regard to gov’t anti-corona efforts [March 20, 2020]