Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2014 July 2 - 8 [LABOR]

National trade union center calls for increase in minimum wages

An advisory panel of the Labor Ministry on July 1 began the discussion to determine the amount that regional minimum wages should be. Union workers rallied in front of the Ministry building, calling for an across-the-board increase in minimum wages to at least 1,000 yen.

The action took place under the leadership of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and the People’s Spring Struggle Joint Committee as more workers have been hard-pressed to make ends meet due to rising prices and the higher consumption tax rate.

A member of a municipal workers’ union said, “Outsourcing in the public sector has become common offering the same level of pay as minimum wages. So, a minimum wage boost is necessary.”

At present, the national average minimum wage is 764 yen per hour. Tokyo came out on top at 869 yen while Okinawa along with another eight prefectures ranked the lowest at 664 yen.

Private sector wages are determined in February and March after labor-management pay hike negotiations. Based on the results of these annual wage negotiations and various other data, a tripartite council consisting of experts, labor, and management hold discussions on regional minimum wages. Through such procedures, the labor bureau chief of each prefecture in October decides the amount of the minimum wage.

By law, employers have an obligation to pay more than the set amount of minimum hourly wage to all workers irrespective of whether they are full-time or part-time.