Shunto
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
term, usually translated as "spring [wages] offensive", with the word "wages" sometimes replaced with livelihood, labour or similar term. It refers to the annual wage negotiations between the enterprise union
s and the employers. Many thousands of these unions conduct the negotiations simultaneously from the beginning of March.
Shuntō began in the 1940s and by the mid-1950s was a set feature in industrial relations. Boosted by the militancy of the workers who brought the cities of Japan to a halt every spring, it was key to boosting the comparatively low wages of the 1940s and to improving conditions and other benefits. The Trade Union Confederation, Rengo
, customarily set a specific target, "base-up", for the annual wage increases to aid the collective bargaining. Negotiations for the enterprise unions tended to begin after the bigger unions had secured their own deals, so they could push for their own company to match the improvements, leading to across the economy wage increases.
Since Japan has been in recession
and deflation
, with union membership falling, the value of the shuntō and the automatic wage increases associated with it have come under threat. The major unions in steel, electronics and the automotive industry have been forced to restrict their demands and even accept zero offers from the employers. The concern has become to protect existing pay structures and jobs. With greater pressure on the workforce the rise in karōshi
and karō jisatsu
are worrying trends.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
term, usually translated as "spring [wages] offensive", with the word "wages" sometimes replaced with livelihood, labour or similar term. It refers to the annual wage negotiations between the enterprise union
Labor unions in Japan
Labour unions emerged in Japan in the second half of the Meiji period as the country underwent a period of rapid industrialization. Until 1945, however, the labour movement remained weak, impeded by lack of legal rights, anti-union legislation, management-organized factory councils, and political...
s and the employers. Many thousands of these unions conduct the negotiations simultaneously from the beginning of March.
Shuntō began in the 1940s and by the mid-1950s was a set feature in industrial relations. Boosted by the militancy of the workers who brought the cities of Japan to a halt every spring, it was key to boosting the comparatively low wages of the 1940s and to improving conditions and other benefits. The Trade Union Confederation, Rengo
Rengo
Rengo is a city and commune located in the Zona Central of Chile, situated in the Cachapoal Province of the O'Higgins Region at a distance of south of the city of Rancagua and south of the national capital Santiago...
, customarily set a specific target, "base-up", for the annual wage increases to aid the collective bargaining. Negotiations for the enterprise unions tended to begin after the bigger unions had secured their own deals, so they could push for their own company to match the improvements, leading to across the economy wage increases.
Since Japan has been in recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
and deflation
Deflation (economics)
In economics, deflation is a decrease in the general price level of goods and services. Deflation occurs when the inflation rate falls below 0% . This should not be confused with disinflation, a slow-down in the inflation rate...
, with union membership falling, the value of the shuntō and the automatic wage increases associated with it have come under threat. The major unions in steel, electronics and the automotive industry have been forced to restrict their demands and even accept zero offers from the employers. The concern has become to protect existing pay structures and jobs. With greater pressure on the workforce the rise in karōshi
Karoshi
, which can be translated literally from Japanese as "death from overwork", is occupational sudden death. Although this category has a significant count, Japan is one of the few countries that reports it in the statistics as a separate category...
and karō jisatsu
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
are worrying trends.