JAPANESE TRANSPORT WORKERS WIN WAGE BOOST
: wo: widespretid strikes in. Japan, one on April 26 and another ‘four: days later,> won a significant. wage increase for the country's _ transport’ workers.: The April 26 strike affected 10,160,000.persons “on railways and: another 10 , 300,000 on buses. The follow—up,, strike was less paralyzing, since management: conceded the minimum- WAGE: demands a few hours after the action got under way and the unions thereupon called: oft ‘the: walkout. . 3 “The: unions. began by: demanding « a monthly increase. of, 8 ,000. yen (362 yen. = $i]:cto:make up for.a 7.4 percent, hike in the. cost of living: in 1965.iManagement offered only. 2,100 yen~ On ‘the. eve of the strikes, they-came up to 3, ‘300 yen, ‘put the union. leaders held out for 3,500. It was reported in the press that they would be "repudiated by the:rank and file" if they accepted less. The - point was pressed home by the strike and the. settlement was for.. 35 200. yen -- a record: high figure. :
“One of the outstanding features of the strike | was the united action taken by the many unions in both the private and- public seciment of the industry. In Japan it is illegal for a worker in govern- ‘ment service to go on strike. However, the members of the govern- ‘ment=Pun railways disregarded the restrictions written into law. When ‘thé unions in the private sector downed tools on April 26, the unions in the public sector joined them. In case they were hauled into court they were :prepared.to argue that it would have “been “unsafe" to continue work that day; however; the view not _ only in management circles but among the: ‘unions was: that the action “violated the law. ci yoae oi
_. _The real situation, of course, is that the law is unwork- “gable. Directed » against. ‘the workers, it cannot be enforced in face ‘of massive” resistance. a pve
The: ‘government. itself ‘recognized realities by - announcing. othe : evening” ‘before the. April 26: strike that it would adjust..wages, - Dearing in mind whatever agreement was reached in the ‘private.. oe sector.
~ uD
22 2/2 O0RS¢