Japan Electronics Union Seeks Pay Scale Hikes of 12,000 Yen or More

Tokyo, March 16 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Electrical Electronic and Information Union on Monday decided to accept monthly pay scale hike offers of 12,000 yen or higher from management in the ongoing 2026 “shunto” spring wage negotiations. The minimum acceptable level decided by the umbrella body for labor unions at electronics makers rose from last year’s 10,000 yen or more, as the group aims to realize robust pay hikes amid persisting inflation. Major member unions had demanded pay scale hikes of 18,000 yen. Negotiations are going on before the unions receive responses from management on Wednesday. In the electronics industry, labor unions typically unify their pay hike demands and the schedules of their negotiations. The minimum acceptable level serves as a threshold for deciding whether to go on strike. Still, electronics makers have allowed differences in offered amounts since the 2020 shunto as long as certain requirements are met, as their business structures and earnings differ. NEC Corp., which is enjoying rosy earnings, said it had already informed its labor union of its intention to fully meet the union’s request during this year’s shunto. In the 2025 shunto, NEC, Hitachi Ltd. and Fujitsu Ltd. fully accepted the uniform demand for a monthly pay scale hike of 17,000 yen by major unions. Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Toshiba Corp. and Panasonic Holdings Corp. concluded their negotiations with the labor side at 15,000 yen, 14,000 yen and 13,000 yen, respectively. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]