UA Zensen to Seek 6 Pct Pay Hike in 2026 Shunto

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–UA Zensen, which comprises unions in industries including textiles and retail in Japan, plans to demand a 6 pct wage increase in next year’s “shunto” spring labor-management negotiations, the same level as in the 2025 shunto, it was learned Friday. It intends to seek a 4 pct pay scale increase, also the same level as in this year’s wage talks. It will demand a 7 pct hike for part-time workers, or an 85-yen increase on an hourly pay basis, up 5 yen from this year. The demands will be raised by about 1 percentage point for member unions at firms with low wage levels. UA Zensen hopes to narrow the pay disparities between large and small companies and between regular and nonregular employees amid soaring prices for daily necessities. It will be the fourth consecutive year for UA Zensen’s demand to exceed the wage hike target set by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, the national umbrella body of labor unions. Rengo set the 2026 shunto target at 5 pct or more. UA Zensen is set to present the plan to representatives of member unions at a meeting Thursday to discuss its policy for the 2026 shunto. After deliberations by member unions, UA Zensen is expected to formalize its demand at a central committee meeting in January. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]