The Struggle for Revitalisation by Japanese Labour Unions: Worker Organising after Labour-Market Deregulation

Abstract

This article analyses the decline of Japanese labour unions and their struggles for revitalisation from a power resources perspective. It demonstrates first that the power resources of labour unions declined in the neo-liberal political process of labour-market deregulation as a result of lower union density, the intensified conflicts of interest among unions and their reduced access to policy-making. Although this situation induced labour unions to change their interest representation to some extent and organise an increasing number of non-regular and marginalised regular workers, the article claims that they are still concerned about protecting the vested interests of regular workers in large companies and their efforts to organise non-regular and marginalised regular workers have been insufficient. In addition, although community unions have aimed to organise these workers extensively, their human and financial resources are too small to do so and revitalise the labour movement.This article analyses how the power resources of Japanese labour unions declined in the political process of labour-market deregulation in the late 1990s and early 2000s and how labour unions attempted to revitalise the labour movement from a power resources perspective. Although they achieved substantial unification of the labour movement with the establishment of Rengō (Japanese Trade Union Confederation) in 1989, their power resources declined in the process of labour-market deregulation, as it lowered union density by increasing the number of unorganised non-regular workers, exacerbated the conflicts of interest among unions and reduced their access to policy-making. This article claims that, faced with these difficulties, Japanese unions increased efforts to organise and represent the interests of non-regular workers and regular workers in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), if not to a sufficient extent. The achievement of greater power resources by organising these workers was considered essential for the survival and maintenance of social relevance of labour unions. However, many enterprise unions are still reluctant to organise these workers. Although "community" unions organised these workers to solve their labour disputes and improve their working conditions, the human

Neoliberalism at work: Corporate reforms, subjectivity, and post-Toyotist affect in Japan

“…As citizens in the USA and Europe had long been conscious of social stratification and precarious lifestyles, occupational and class-based identities could become rallying points for precarious workers, thereby informing social policy discourse (Neilson and Rossiter, 2008). However, emerging from the context of postwar "mainstream consciousness," Japanese citizens' aspirations toward becoming regular workers continue to dominate public and policy discourse in Japan, ironically frustrating attempts at organizing and constructing new identities around precarity (Watanabe, 2015). 12.…”

The political agency and social movements of Japanese individually-affiliated unions

“…Japanese unions have experienced a decline in power resources, similar to unions in many other industrialized countries, in the context of economic stagnation and intensified economic competition (Watanabe, 2012(Watanabe, , 2014. Labour and industrial relations scholars have discussed whether union revitalization may be possible and examined unions' organizing of regular workers in SMEs and non-regular workers, whose number has increased significantly as a result of labour market deregulation (Nakamura, 2007;Watanabe, 2015). However, both academics and union practitioners have pointed out a lack of concern among 'enterprise' unions about the poor working conditions of an increasing number of workers such as illegal dismissal, non-payment of salary and long working hours.…”

Labour Market Dualism and Diversification in Japan

“…In addition, Rengō’s human and financial resources remain small compared to those of enterprise unions (Interview, Rengō, April 2014; see also Suzuki : 293), and industrial federations in competitive sectors such as JC‐Metal and enterprise unions in general have been uninterested and made little progress in organizing non‐regular workers (Interviews, Denki Rengō, April 2014; Headquarters of Hitachi group enterprise unions, April 2014; see also Suzuki : 75). These unions have been more interested in maintaining cooperative industrial relations with employers in order not to lose productivity and competitiveness than fighting against employers by resorting to class solidarity and conducting strikes (Suzuki : 79, 86; Watanabe , ; see Figure for the decreased number of strikes since 1990).…”