Seeking Dispatched Worker Protection
Petition Submitted to Diet Leaders and Labor Minister.
(16 April 1999)
RENGO submitted a group petition to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the House of Councilors on April 12, to the Labor Minister on 13 respectively, demanding careful deliberation of the Dispatched Labor Bill and its amendment and reinforcement during the on-going Diet session. The group petition of approximately 7,000 unions seeking the realization of RENGO demands such as dispatched worker protection.

Rush to Prepare for Employment Backing
Urgent Supplementary Budget Plans Requested to Labor Minister
(16 April 1999)

Photo: "More effort is needed on employment measures" President Washio (right).

On April 6, RENGO requested that Labor Minister Amari compile the 1999 fiscal year supplementary budget immediately, and execute emergency measures for unemployment. Amari made no specific mention about the compilation of a supplementary budget.

At the meeting, Secretary General Sasamori explained the concrete items of the demand. They are:

  1. Relax application conditions for the Nationwide Employment Insurance Extension System and extend the benefit period to 90 days.
  2. Extend the vocational training aid benefit period.
  3. Confirm the target number of jobs to be created and add new measures through the supplementary budget.
  4. Define the target number of jobs to be created for each prefecture and secure related subsidies.
  5. Create a permanent prefectural version of the government/labor/management employment promotion council.

Responding, Labor Minister Amari stated that (1) there is no plan to relax conditions for extension of the Nationwide Employment Insurance. Extension of the vocational training aid benefit period as a necessary part of developing professional capability may be admitted. (2) We would like to see a plan for overall revision of the vocational training system. (3) We will follow up on the issue of job creation at the Government/Labor/Management Employment Promotion Council. He avoided any clarification of the compilation of supplementary budget.
The Ministry of Labor also expressed their opinion regarding plans to make prefectural level government/labor/management employment promotion councils permanent. They stated that "since this matter lies within the jurisdiction of governors, the government should not unilaterally force its will on each prefecture."

6 State-run Firm Unions Petition for Mediation
Dissatisfied with 2.04%, ¥ 6,083 Pay Raise
(16 April 1999)

On April 13, state-run firm officials announced a pay hike of ¥ 6,083, an increase of 2.04% including regular wages, to each union. The six unions of the state-run firms responded the same day declaring "their response came past the appointed date and was a perfunctory amount less than that of private sector. It is entirely unsatisfactory."
The six unions appealed for mediation to the Central Labor Relations Commission on April 16th.

Responses from State-Run Firms

*Including regular pay increase
  No. of workers Average age Basic monthly pay April 1999 Answer For reference*
Amount Rate Amount Rate
Postal Services 262,717 40.2 ¥296,730 ¥297 0.10% ¥6,054 2.04%
Forestry 5,646 45.2 ¥339,583 ¥340 0.10% ¥6,283 1.85%
Printing 5,404 39.4 ¥317,905 ¥318 0.10% ¥7,121 2.24%
Mint 1,245 42.7 ¥330,340 ¥330 0.10% ¥6,805 2.06%
Simple average 275,012 41.9 ¥321,140 ¥321 0.10% ¥6,566 2.04%
Weighted average   40.3 ¥298,178 ¥298 0.10% ¥6,083 2.04%

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