politics

As inflation bites, Japan's PM finds unlikely ally in labor unions

16 Comments
By Tetsushi Kajimoto and Leika Kihara

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16 Comments
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Rengo, despite being a "labor union" is more on the side of business owners than workers. Despite having a long history with the CDP, they have recently shown more interest in collaborating with the LDP rather than the left-wing opposition parties, such as the example shown in this article. I think this change in allegiance is one reason for the CDP's weakness in recent elections.

Look at Zenshoren (全国商工団体連合会) for something much closer to an actual labor union, representing the interests of small local shops and businesses.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Wage stagnation has blighted Japan's workers for years as the country was mired in a deflationary mindset that stopped firms raising salaries, and as weakened unions shied away from demanding more pay.

Japanese unions are complicit class traitors whose leaders are in league with the LDP/Japan Inc. combine. Like in the US workers can be deceived to abandon their financial interests by nationalist and xenophobic fairy tales spun by oligarchs.

Contrast that to the gains by Korean and French unions by their disruptive struggles.

https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/537393

As part of his "new capitalism" platform to widen wealth distribution, Kishida has urged firms to boost pay and give households spending power to tolerate higher prices.

New Capitalism has been evidenced to be more corporate welfare and the professed aims bear no relation to the reality.

"Accustomed to prolonged economic stagnation, they seem to have forgotten how to demand wage hikes,"

Right Kyodo and JRI Yamada-san. Workers have been living high on the hog so long they have forgotten about asking for wage increases in line with their relatively high productivity.

Penetrating economic analysis by the Japan Research Institute. They must have tortuously wrneched the data to fit Kishida's narrative of New Capitalism.

This article is prime neo-liberal Newspeak.

7 ( +17 / -10 )

Japan's average wages have hardly risen since the early 1990s and were the lowest among G7 advanced nations last year, according to OECD data.

Hardly? This has got to be a misprint, as it's a down right lie! They haven't risen at all. in fact they have dropped overall, as the consumption tax went from 3%, instituted in 1989, to 10% today, a 7% increase, along with increases in other taxes, and increases across the board in cost of living expenses, actual wages have decreased!

Someone needs to shoot the scales off the eyes of whomever is writing these articles!

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Unions, workers voice was smashed decades ago, it’s about companies, suddenly it’s difficult for the Boss to afford the latest Toyota crown. He is not happy. It’s time to throw the workers something. Just not too much. The masses might get as greedy as the bosses, want their Share? Now that’s just not an option. If they are not happy with mud, let’s give them grass.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

The galore owners already installed a drummer for the chained rowers. Nothing has changed for thousands of years.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Galleys’ owners, sorry, an autocorrect typo. lol

3 ( +3 / -0 )

In Japan, working union are just "party planning committee"... In my previous company, I was forced to become a member when I became a seishain (company regulation) and when I had the meeting for explaining the role of the union, the only noticeable thing was the organization of a party every year for using member fee...

When I talked about problem like harassment, the leader said "It's like that for everybody so I can't do anything".

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Japanese trade unions appear to be the Upside Down version of unions, where they work for the bosses and convince employees to agree to everything. It's a bit sad.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"I don't think labor unions are playing their role. Wages aren't rising as much as I hoped," said a 25-year-old employee at a major Japanese manufacturer and in-house union member.

Unions here are useless! The management of unions walks hand in hand with management, and kowtows to the demands of management.

Consider this, a "strike" called by a union, is openly orchestrated with management, as to the date and time, and everyone who is a union members, gathers at some park somewhere, goes "rah, rah, rah, We're on strike for ONE day!" and then all go out for drinks with management afterwards, and the next day go back to work, and management makes everyone who took a day off, put in for a day of leave, or get their pay cut for the day.

Which also will affect their bonus, because they were not at the job 100% So everyone wastes a leave day.

(Oh this is EXACTLY what happened at a Japanese company I worked at. And all the "top" union members, in turn, got promotions, and became management, so everyone knows how the game gets played)

2 ( +5 / -3 )

""new capitalism" platform to widen wealth distribution""

I have a suggestion, how about reducing central and local government employees bonuses for few years and giving that saved cash back to the people were it belongs in the first place.

There is plenty of wealth to go around and please everyone, the problem is those who are in power are taking more than their share and the poor is VOICELESS and HELPLESS as usual.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Unions have become a non-issue since the 90s. Can't remember the last time they were effective in any positive changes for the workers.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The only plausible reason the LDP would be seriously canvassing wage increases would be their justifiable concern that the pendulum has already swung too far and what that augurs if they resist.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not sure Japan's "life long employment" culture fits in with significant wage increases since typically the longer you work at a company, the higher your wage is supposed to be. That means those that need it most are often left out, and the wage increase goes to those in their 50s and 60s who are already making decent bank, probably already own a home or have some assets. Meanwhile, the workers in their 20s and 30s are given scraps.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Has been unspectacular

And continues to be unspectacular thanks to kishidas dithering and dawdle flimsy planning and absence of problem solving abilities

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Is that a joke? Labor unions are only permitted if the to meet the status quo. Just like the press.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

“ the wage increase goes to those in their 50s and 60s”

it depends of the sectors, companies. In the large banks, unless you are a senior executive, salaries are cut from early 50s by 30 % to 50% (progressively by 10% a year over several years not in one shot). Then when you reach 60 your are switched from permanent to 1 year contract renewed every year and the salary is usually cut again. So peak salary is around 50 and then it is downhill. On the other hand your job is guarantee until 65 even though you do not do much work.

But I guess other companies are different.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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