Management should invest in human resources for future growth
(From The Japan Times March 20 issue)

人材育成への投資が将来的成長のカギ

The annual wage negotiations, held amid deflationary conditions, reached a climax March 17. Most major manufacturers, including automakers and electronics makers, agreed to resume teiki shokyu, a periodic wage increase (based on age or years of service) that was frozen last year due to the recession. But they did not raise basic pay and many major manufacturers refused to meet union demands for bonuses.

Although the periodic wage increase will have a minor impact on domestic demand, deflation will likely continue. In view of the nation's economic difficulties, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), Japan's largest labor organization, had given up seeking an increase in basic pay. Instead, it concentrated on securing the periodic wage increase. Apparently, management opted to restore the periodic increase to preserve workers' morale. The results of the negotiations have helped the labor unions save face.

Strong demand in China and other Asian countries has helped increase Japan's automobile and electronics exports. But demand remains low in the North American and European markets. Electronics makers are also facing serious competition from emerging economies like South Korea.

More than half of Japan's major electronics makers expect deficits in the current business year. The prospects are poor in particular for firms that rely mainly on domestic demand. In Japan, supply is believed to exceed demand by ¥30 trillion.

The labor ministry has found that average annual household income has declined by about ¥1 million in the past 10 years. Only 80 percent of graduating university students and 74 percent of graduating high school students have jobs lined up. Management should not forget that investment in human resources is the key to future growth.

Labor can do its part by pushing management to improve the working conditions of irregular employees.

デフレを背景に、年に一度の賃金交渉の集中回答が終わった。自動車･電機など主要製造業の多くは昨年凍結していた定昇を維持、ベアを見送り、大半はボーナスも労組要求を下回った。連合は統一的ベア要求を見送る代わりに定昇を求め、執行部は労働者の士気向上のためにそれに応えて、労組は面目を保った。

自動車･電機業界のアジア向け輸出は増えたが、北米・欧州市場の需要は低く、電機業界は韓国など新興経済国との競争にさらされている。

日本経済は約30兆円需要不足といわれている。厚労省によると年間世帯収入の平均は過去10年で100万円減、新大卒者の80 % 、新高卒者の74 % にしか職がない。経営側は将来的成長のカギは人材への投資であることを忘れず、労組は非正規雇用者の労働環境改善を求めるべきだ。