Japan Heavy Machinery Unions Start “Shunto” Wage Talks

Tokyo, Feb. 6 (Jiji Press)–The labor unions of Japanese heavy machinery makers and other businesses Friday submitted demands for pay scale increases to management, marking the start of this year’s “shunto” spring wage negotiations at major companies. Unions at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and IHI Corp. seek monthly pay scale rises of 16,000 yen, reflecting strong orders related to the defense industry. At Nippon Steel Corp. and other steelmakers, unions demand hikes of at least 15,000 yen. The Japan Federation of Basic Industry Workers’ Unions, the umbrella organization mainly for unions at heavy industry companies, on Wednesday adopted its unified policy of demanding 15,000 yen, matching the record high struck the previous year. But the policy also said that member unions should allow each other to set demands flexibly. Unions at automakers and electric machinery makers, both influential forces in shunto, are slated to submit their demands to management in mid-February. Shunto negotiations will intensify toward March 18, when many employers will present responses to labor demands. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]