It is now a crucial moment for correcting the disparity
(3 April 1998)

When trade unions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and the local industries had the peak of the 1988 Spring Struggle on 27 March 1998, Rengo organized campaigns aiming at correcting the disparity. For example, National SME Unions Rally was held in Tokyo with 3,000 persons and it confirmed its willingness to win through the Struggle. Setting 27 March "the SME unions' action day," Rengo arranged for 400 representatives from unions in Tokyo area to make demand to relevant Ministry of Labour, Small and Medium Enterprises Agency, Japan Federation of Employers' Association, Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Japan Central Small and Medium Enterprises Association. They requested for the correction of the wage disparity, the reduction of working hours, employment security and calling-off of lending squeeze. Furthermore, Rengo held a gathering where such demands were introduced and made speeches on street corners to appeal to the public.

1998 Spring Struggle Results (as of 1 April 1998)
Individual Specific Wage scale method with base-up only
(Yen)
average per union (simple average)
wage level
before
revision		 1998 demand 1998 answer 1997 result
No of
unions		 No of
person		 wage level base-up
only		 wage level base-up
only		 wage level base-up only
Age 35 82 625,762 298,830 302,924 7,137 300,746 1,916 299,679 2,626
Age 30 34 71,421 258,451 264,794 6,342 260,815 2,364 262,600 2,957


Individual Specific Wage scale method with base-up and periodical increase
(Yen)
average per union (simple average)
wage level
before
revision		 1998 demand 1998 answer 1997 result
No of
unions		 No of
person		 wage level increase wage level increase wage level increase
Age 35 107 200,944 281,676 291,391 14,323 290,205 8,529 289,769 8,841
Age 30 108 403,722 252,848 267,633 13,733 261,730 8,882 260,370 8,858



Average wage increase method
(Yen)
average per individual (simple average)
No of
unions		 No of
person		 age years of
service		 average
wage		 1998
demand		 1998 answer 1997 result
630 1,727,965 38.5 17.2 308,181 13,532 8,028 8,654
average per union (accumulated average)
age years of
service		 average
wage		 1998
demand		 1998 answer 1997 result
37.5 15.5 280,314 13,541 7,076 7,680


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