Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 15 - 21 [LABOR]

Zenroren declares opening of 2014 spring wage offensive

Declaring the opening of this year’s spring struggle for drastic wage hikes and job security, the People’s Spring Struggle Joint Committee, which consists of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and independent unions, on January 17 staged a day of action.

More than 1,000 union workers on that day assembled in front of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) building in Tokyo’s Marunouchi business district to push the business world to increase the rates of monthly basic pay.

Zenroren President Daikoku Sakuji on behalf of the organizers said that large corporations should use a portion of their 272 trillion yen in internal reserves to increase wages drastically, raise unit prices paid to subcontractors, and create more job opportunities. He also demanded that Keidanren resolve to provide to the nearly 20 million non-regular workers higher wages and full-time positions.

The Zenroren leader called on union members to work tenaciously to achieve wage hikes and block an adverse revision of labor laws.

Union representatives in turn delivered speeches.

Representing the All-Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU), Secretary General Miki Ryoichi said, “Achieving an increase in wages is workers’ primary demand. Let’s win a drastic wage increase for all workers!”

Imatani Kenji, secretary general of the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (Zenkyo), stressed that wage hikes and stable jobs are vital necessities for protecting children’s living and learning conditions. “I’ll work hard for a success in this year’s spring wage struggle and development of people’s movement for protecting and utilizing the Constitution,” said Imatani.