The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) presented a policy plan to its members Thursday that focuses on ensuring job security at annual wage talks with employers instead of demanding a uniform wage increase.
According to the fiscal 2004-2005 policy plan, Rengo will forgo setting a basic wage hike standard, as it did in this spring's wage talks when it prioritized demands related to job security.
Rengo President Kiyoshi Sasamori, presenting the policy to a regular convention held in Tokyo, said, "We will deal with employment issues with all our might.
"As nonregular workers are on the increase, unless we open our doors more widely and work for the common benefit of all workers, labor unions will only be able to protect a small number of people," he said.
With the jobless rate staying above 5 percent, Japan's largest union group proposed emphasizing improvements in labor conditions for part-time workers and eliminating unpaid overtime work.
Rengo also said the government bears the responsibility of creating jobs and an employment system that ensures long-term job security.