At the 18th Central Executive Committee Meeting on November 12, RENGO confirmed an "examination of government ordinances on the Revised Labor Standard Act and RENGO's anticipated response."

1. The Central Council For Labor Standards Inquiry

(1) Matters Under Examination

1. Labor Commitment Period (Criteria concerning worker expertise)
   The Ministry of Labor Secretariat will offer examples as the discussions progress at the council until the inquiry. The council will then deliberate based on these results.
   
   
2. Clarification of Labor Conditions
   The scope of clarification will be limited to matters that are confirmed in the proposal. Labor requested that models for each type of employment be drawn up, and elaborated on the need for clarification of social insurance, etc.
   All clarification will be presented in writing.
   
   
3. Annual Limits on the Flexible Working-Hour System
   Management did not commit themselves, but submitted that the maximum be set at 300 days. Labor countered that in view of the Labor Ministry's survey and the establishment of daily/weekly working-hour caps on the flexible working hour system, only less than 260 days is possible.
   The maximum number of working hours should be set at 10 hours per day, 52 hours per week.
   The maximum days continuously worked in any one given period should be set at 6 days per week excepting busy periods. Busy periods will be set at current standards (12 days) pending future labor-management agreement.
   The new working hour maximum (10 per day, 52 per week) may be continued no more than 3 weeks at a time, limited to once every 3 months.
   
   
4. Overtime
   Overtime for regular workers should be 360 hours per year, weekly and monthly limits are set at the current standards.
   As the object of "relief measures against extreme change," the standard limit for female workers should be set at 150-hours annually, while weekly and monthly limits are set at current standards.
   Annual overtime caps for the flexible working-hour system should be less than the general standard. Management has agreed to a possible general standard of 360 hours, however, labor demanded about 150 hours per year since the system originally had no built in notion of "overtime."
   Workers eligible for "relief measures against extreme change" are limited to parents with children under elementary school age. Those workers can also claim a relief for late-night labor under the Child and Family Care Law. Enactment of this law should suit the special nature and actual conditions of late-night labor.
   
   
5. Notification Responsibility
   In addition to posting, preparing and delivering, notifications will also distributed via the Internet.
   
   
6. Others
   When selecting a representative for the majority of workers, that person should not be in a management or supervisory position as stated in the prescription. Democratic procedures such as elections should be regulated.
   Take measures to prohibit the unfair treatment of representatives.
   
   
7. Revision of the Safety and Sanitation Act (at the ordinary Diet session) on Late-Night Labor.

2. Late-night Labor

(1) Revision of the Safety and Sanitation Act
The Central Council for Labor Standards' Worker's Accident Prevention Group will study the revision of the Safety and Sanitation Act, made by the Diet's supplementary resolution, in relation to the following points. Providing support for voluntary physical check ups, listening to doctor's opinions on after-the-fact measures for patients with problems, restricting the frequency of check ups, and taking measures such as changing the person's workplace.


(2) The government (MOL) will start support programs of labor-management creating voluntarily guidelines for each main industry from April 1999.


(3) RENGO's actions

1. RENGO Policy Inquiry and Summary
   Begin an investigation based on a survey of different working shifts in non-manufacturing industries and irregular shifts at the Members' Meeting for Shorter Working Hours.
   Continue discussions at the National Members' Meeting for Shorter Working Hours (November 18-19). Compile the results by January-February and refer to the Central Executive Committee Meeting for passage through deliberation at the Labor Conditions and the Labor Measures committees.
   
   
2. Request each industry's employers' association to set guidelines.

3. The New Discretionary Labor System

(1) Organize a technical body
The "working group for discretionary labor system guidelines" is planning to include in its membership seven specialists from the fields of Labor Law, Sociology/Business Administration, Personnel and Labor Management, and Wage Policy. The Central Council for Labor Standards agreed that members should be selected upon counsel from each side and report their progress to the council as necessary. The results of study are planned to be announced by early fall 1999.


(2) RENGO's Response
Organize a study group consisting of labor members from the "Committee for Shorter Working Hours" and the Central Council for Labor Standards. Examine the range of those eligible and the limits of authority of the Labor-Management Council, then report its findings to the "Labor Conditions Committee" as necessary, and immediately compile a concrete response.