| Tripartite Agreement on Job
Issues/Report to Prime Minister Mutual Cooperation Pledged at Employment Promotion Council (6 December 2002) |
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| On December 4, the government, RENGO, and Nippon
Keidanren (Japan Business Federation: JBF) held the Government, Labor and Management
Employment Promotion Council in Tokyo. At Prime Minister Koizumi's request representatives
from the government, labor and management examined to best to handle resolutions
for employment problems. During deliberations, the three parties comprising the
council endorsed the 'government-labor-management agreement on employment problems,'
which was immediately reported to PM Koizumi. The agreement states that in order to maintain and secure employment [1] management will work ever harder, [2] labor will cooperate more flexibly with labor conditions to maintain jobs, and [3] government will provide support to promote streamlining and emphasizing labor insurance systems, while supporting businesses' efforts to maintain and secure employment. Representatives from government, labor and management highly praised the agreement calling their arrival at a common understanding of employment maintenance and security an urgent issue, a milestone. Attendees included Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda, Minister of the Health, Labor and Welfare Sakaguchi, Parliamentary Secretary for Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Sakurada, RENGO President Sasamori, and JBF Chairman Okuda.
JBF Chairman Okuda stated that they will "familiarize the contents of agreement to everyone through affiliated local employers associations and industrial organizations. Cutting costs is indispensable to maintain employment. We need cooperation from labor unions in order to strengthen management's power base." RENGO President Sasamori said "(we) recognize that the government has bore the responsibility of putting the greatest importance on employment when compiling the supplementary budget and making the 2003FY budget." He requested that management "reaffirm that maintaining and securing jobs is a social mission, convey the contents of the agreement to affiliated industrial organizations and individual companies and strive their utmost for sincere labor-management consultations." With regard to introducing flexibility to labor conditions he further emphasized that, as he understands it, "the basic premise is to maintain jobs, and introducing flexibility should be based on that." Further, on the matter of employment insurance premiums, President Sasamori and Chairman Okuda strongly urged the government to shoulder the expense with general account budget funds if the current insurance is unable to cover the needs. |
