Neige, Nanako, Ryeoyoung

1. Demise of Japanese
Trade Unionism
Neige, Nanako, Ryeoyoung
1

2. From the Questions...
1. Why they have "moderate" Labor Unions?
Ritualized strike/ submissive collective
bargaining
2. Is it still effective?
2

3. Overview
Features of Japanese Trade Unionism
Origin of Japanese Trade Unionism
Current Changing Environment
Discussion
3

4. Types of Trade Union
in Japan
Any kind of Trade Union is possible; no
regulation
More than 95% are Enterprise Unions
Single union, universal membership
4

5. Unionization Rate by Size
of Private Enterprises
Source: Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs,
Posts and Telecommunications, Labour Force Survey
5

6. Enterprise Unions
Why are there a lot of enterprise
unions in Japan?
Lifetime employment system
Difficulty standardizing working
condition; difference between big
enterprise and small/medium-sized
enterprise
6

7. Trade Union Structure
Enterprise
Union
Industrial
Organization
National
Organization
7

8. Trade Union Structure
Enterprise
Union
Industrial
Organization
National
Organization
7

9. Trade Union Structure
Enterprise
Union
Industrial
Organization
National
Organization
Only regular members can chiefly do
the labor disturbance
7

10. Japanese Features
(shuntou, collective bargaining)
Wage hikes( ) improvement
of working condition (work hrs cut)
Around the spring every year
8

11. Japanese Features
(shuntou, collective bargaining)
Wage hikes( ) improvement
of working condition (work hrs cut)
Around the spring every year
Japan is not going on strike though does
the labor disturbance... WHY?
8

12. Japanese Style Strike
Strike is done for the period limited for a
day or several hours at the early stage of
the negociation.
Strike is performed management and
meeting beforehand, and doesn't aim at
an important interruption of production.
9

13. Few strikes in Japan
Why is it rarely seen in Japan?
1. Recession has continued
2. Hard to be understood from others;
seen as "selfish"
What do you think???
10

14. Birth of Unionism and
Prosperity Times
End of 19C : begin of unionism
WW2 : no activity, forced to stop by gov
Post-war : move for restructuration, but
division→ 74,500 trade unions in 1980s
Union membership in 1970 : 35.4 %
11

15. Origin of shuntou
"Spring Struggle for a Better Life" (from 1955)
High pressures : strikes, banners,
sloganeering → show of force
During economic growth (1960s -
mid-1970s), rapid wage level rising, huge
bonuses twice / year...
​→ strong unions, good defense of the workers'
rights
12

16. Recession, Weakening
of Trade Unions
Starting from 1975, low growth, unions
become more conciliatory
Negociations not at the advantage of the
employees
Ex : in 1989, 5.1 % pay hike, while GNP growth
= 5 % → almost noth Labor union
membership in 1987 : 27.6 %
13

17. Grouping Movement
Mid-1980s : 4 main labor federations : Sohyo,
Domei, Churitsu Roren, Shinsanbetsu
Same revendications → fusion to gain strenght
1987 : Domei + Churitsu Roren = Rengo
(National Federation of Private Sector Unions)
1990 : Sohyo + Rengo → one big union, with 6.8
million members nowadays
14

18. Decline Goes On
Huge Power loss coincide
with demise of Social
Democratic Party and
Communist Party
15
Ministry of Health, Labor and Wealth, Basic survey on labor unions 2007

19. Premise of Shuntou
Rise in price / Economic growth
Job stability / Regular employment
Seniority-based, equal pay ; solidarity under
common goal
16

20. Obstacle to Shuntou
Deflation / Economic recession
Labor flexibility / Non-regular employment
Perform-based pay introduced
Gap between companies Competition
within workers
17

21. Increases in non-regular
and part-time workers
OECD Economic Survey of Japan 2006
18

22. Extended Membership
Recruit non-regular workers
Include non-regular worker issue in
shuntou
Set up occupation/region based union;
include workers in other related firms
(subcontractors)
19

23. Trade Union for
Whom?
Criticism against Rengo's policy
for reguar Equal pay for non-
regular workers
workers
Regularize non-regular
Job security workers
20

24. Summary
Cooperative; do negotiation, but not action
Historical facts, (not cultural), has been
changing
Shrinking role; external Influence from
recession /changing employment
structure /same strategy
21

25. Discussion
"Japanese labor union is not the
union of workers, but the union of
employers."
- Wakabayashi
Without collective action, who will represent regular/
non-regular workers?
22