The Japan Council of Metalworkers’ Unions said on Tuesday that it will demand a record-high pay-scale increase of ¥12,000 or more in next year’s shuntō annual spring labor negotiations.
The JCM — an organization that groups labor unions in the automobile, electronics and three other industries in the country — aims to ensure that wage increases exceed the rate of inflation.
“We are at a crossroads as to whether we can consistently provide a virtuous cycle for the Japanese economy and a sense of security to consumers,” JCM Chair Akihiro Kaneko said at a news conference in Tokyo, referring to next year’s shuntō talks. “With its 2 million members, the JCM will lead (wage hikes),” he said.
This will be a 12th consecutive year for the JCM to demand a pay-scale increase. Next year’s shuntō talks are expected to go into full swing as early as February.
The Japanese Trade Union Confederation, the largest umbrella organization of labor unions in the country, has said it will demand a wage increase of 5% or more, including a pay-scale hike, in the 2025 shuntō.
