RENGO endorsed its 3rd Urgent Policy for the 2000 Spring Struggle at its 3rd Central Struggle Committee on February 10.

1. Struggle Procedures: From Submitting Demands to Pre-negotiations

(1)	Pay hike Demands and Labor-Management Negotiations In order to avoid making the same mistakes as in the 1999 pay hike negotiations, we are steadily developing activities already endorsed, to confirm regular pay increase amounts at pre-negotiation stage.

a)		Strengthen pre-negotiations activities Adjust demands for regular pay increases or an amount equivalent to regular pay increases and also the need for such increases. See that negotiations are established by focusing on regular pay increases during the pre-negotiation stage while proceeding with their confirmation.
b)		Strengthen measures for unions with no regular pay increase system RENGO will again provide guidance and support especially for unions with no regular pay increase systems and small to mid-sized or local unions which have yet decided their demands. This will be conducted through affiliates and local RENGO according to the following points
	1.	There is no commonly accepted market rate for regular pay increases. It differs by union.
	2.	There are instances when wage curves would not be maintained by a mere calculation of 2% regular pay increase.
	3.	Unions with no regular pay increase system can calculate the amount equivalent to regular increases based on current wages. (see "the Focal Point of Labor-Management Negotiations" and RENGO White Paper, page 25)
	4.	Thereby making it possible to go ahead with labor/management negotiations regarding the specific amount equivalent to regular increases for the union without having to wait for the peak. Place negotiations so that pay raise negotiations would naturally follow.

(2)	Preparation and Current Activities for the Submission of Demands The deadline to submit demands (February 18 for most RENGO registered unions, the end of February for all others) should again be made known to everyone. RENGO will survey conditions in early March.

(3)

Activities for Unions that Need Emergency Stopgap Measures Some unions have difficulty demanding pay increases/shorter working hours due to their management circumstances, etc. While studying concrete demands affiliate organizations will seek to understand actual conditions of unions planing to wait before submitting their demands like an emergency stopgap measure. Those unions also participate in the Spring Struggle and support other unions' negotiations on important issues such as employment stabilization.

(4) Establishing an Intensive Answer Period and Scheduling Strategies

	a)	Affiliates have put every effort into preparations and pre-negotiations so that as many unions as possible may draw answers during the Intensive Answer Period (March 15 to 24).
	b)	Respond to the Deliberations on the Pension Bill We will hold a "Rally before the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Oppose Reimbursement Fee Increases" on February 16 and 23.
	c)	Unions that are not able to get answers during the Intensive Answer Period or unions that join local joint struggles should strive to fully prepare for the catch-up period (scheduled until March 31). They will start working now to expand the number of participating unions, exchange information, categorize pay increase totals, among other activities.

(5) Activities to Shorten Working Hours and Revise Labor Agreements

	a)	Aim to shorten total working hours by developing a wide range of activities including the revision of Article 36 of the Labor Standard Act (the overtime/holiday work agreement), the reduction of overtime hours, and so forth.
	b)	Promote examination of the status of agreements together with activities to revise labor agreements drawn from the revision of the Labor Standard Act and the Equal Employment Opportunity Law, as an organizational activity.

(6) Activities to Stabilize Employment and Continuation of Employment

	a)	Verify employment stability between labor/management at pre-negotiations while making good use of the "Joint Declaration of Employment Stabilization" which was concluded with NIKKEIREN (the Japanese Federation of Employers' Association).
	b)	RENGO will seek to create a ripple effect in society by having management reveal their intentions as much as possible during pre-negotiations regarding such activities as extending the period of employment in response to the raising of the eligibility age for public pensions. RENGO will work on this to stabilize the standard of living for seniors while learning from leading case studies.

(7) Activities To Correct Differentials

	a)	Organize group activities of liaison councils to support small to mid-sized unions' negotiations. Also organize activities to request various chambers of commerce, the National Federation of Small Business Associations and the Small to Medium Enterprise Agency be scheduled on March 31.
	b)	A Learn from past Correcting Differentials Forums making full use of them in negotiations.

2. Critical Policy Issues and Activities for the Ordinary Diet Session

(1)	Urgent Concrete Activities a) Marshal all our organizational might to make a success of the "Signature-Collecting Drive: 10 million People' s Petition to the Diet to Realize Policies on Pension, Medical Care, and Employment." b) Carry out a signature-collecting drive throughout the month of February. Proceed with activities both inside and outside the organizations for street campaigns.
(2)	Respond to the Deliberations on the Pension Bill We will hold a "Rally before the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Oppose Reimbursement Fee Increases" on February 16 and 23.
(3)	Activities for Legislating the Worker's Protection Law (tentative) Concerning Changes in Business Organizations Make an all-out effort to legislate the Worker's Protection Law in keeping with the revision of the Commercial Law Act (accepting business division) in this Diet session while working in closer cooperation with the Democratic Party.

3. Appeal both Inside and Outside the Organization for the Success of the 2000 Spring Struggle

(1)	Make good use of the "Central Pep Rally Declaring the Kick-Off of the Spring Struggle" and appeal for the significance and the role of the Spring Struggle both inside and outside the organization.
(2)	Local RENGO will also develop activities that appeal to unorganized workers and citizens.
(3)	PR campaigns to rouse public opinion Conduct PR campaigns to stimulate public opinion through radio commercials, posters, internet sites, and so forth.