A group of Toyota workers calls for rejection of zero wage increase offer

A group of workers of Toyota Motors, Japan's largest car maker, on January 13 carried out a one-day action at Toyota's headquarters in Aichi Prefecture in protest against the company's decision not to raise their base pay.

The group's action was part of the effort to encourage all Toyota workers to voice their demands in the annual spring struggle for pay raises. The action was joined by the Aichi Prefectural Federation of Trade Unions affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) instead of the Toyota Motor Workers' Union, a member of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), which has given up demanding a pay rise in its negotiations with the management.

About 200 demonstrators assembled in front of the Toyota head office gate. The flier they distributed read: "Toyota Motors has earned one trillion yen in profit for two years in a row but gives us no pay raise. Isn't this unreasonable?"

Workers are concerned that the Toyota Workers Union's decision is likely to affect annual collective bargaining in other companies and industries.

Recently, the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) chaired by Toyota Motors Chairman Hiroshi Okuda, decided that employers' strategy should be one of rejecting any union demands for a base wage increase.

Even Kiyoshi Sasamori, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), expressed concerns about the Toyota union decision not to ask the management to increase wages in this year's annual negotiations.

In many of Japan's ailing companies, the Toyota Workers Union's move is likely to be used as an excuse for wage restraint, Akahata of January 14 said. (end)