“Results Embolden Following Unions”
Wage Cuts Avoided, Wage Curve Maintained!
2003 Spring Struggle Peak Press Conference
(17 March 2003)
The 2003 Spring Struggle has entered its peak period. On March 12, major unions mainly from the JC Group (Japan Council of Metalworkers' Unions) received their answers all together. Almost every union succeeded in maintaining the wage curve and bonus amounts even exceeded last year’s achievement level.
Accepting those answers, RENGO President Sasamori, Vice President Koga (representing the metal sector), and GeneralSecretary Kusano attended a press conference the same day. President Sasamori recognized the negotiation results obtained by preceding unions saying, “they did their utmost to protect jobs.” From here on, RENGO will spread the effects of the maintained/secured wage curve achieved by the preceding unions, in future negotiations by following unions.


Photo: The “results of members’ all-out effort to protect jobs” is highly evaluated.
General Secretary Kusano explained the contents of answers obtained on March 12 at the outset of the meeting. He recognized that “we can deduce that wage curves were maintained. Furthermore, some even succeeded in getting base salary raises. This is the result of unions strenuous effort accord with RENGO’s demands.” He praised the efforts of labor unions saying they “would lead to a general raise in wage levels,” with such results as raising DENKI RENGO’s (Japanese Electrical Electronic & Information Union) intrafirm minimum wage by \500 and gaining wage raises for part-time workers at UI ZENSEN DOMEI (Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food, Commercial, Service & General Workers’ Unions).

President Sasamori disclosed RENGO’s position based on answers from the primary stage. He praised the results saying that unions “did their utmost to protect jobs. The results emboldened following unions.” As there appear to be many in labor and management initiating discussion for a ‘reexamination of the wage system,’ Sasamori stated that “labor and management’s efforts for reaching a consensus are crucial (for reexamination). We want all sides to devote time to discussion and reach a satisfactory outcome.” He stressed that a full-year of discussion would be necessary.
Finally, Sasamori took management to task for still insisting on no base wage hikes and wage cost reductions saying, management “has not updated its thinking to keep pace with the changing times.”

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