Rengo to Demand Wage Hike of 6 Pct or More for Smaller Firms in 2025

Urayasu, Chiba Pref., Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, said Thursday that it will demand a pay increase of 6 pct or more for small and midsize companies in "shunto" annual spring wage negotiations next year.

The umbrella body for labor unions across the country will demand a pay raise of at least 5 pct for overall firms, including larger ones.

Rengo set the higher goal for small and midsize businesses to rectify wage gaps with larger companies. It adopted the targets at a meeting of its central committee in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo.

"We are at a crucial point to determine whether we can consolidate the trend that has led to wage increases," Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino said in an opening speech at the central committee meeting.

Rengo will demand an increase of 4 pct or more in pay scale in addition to a regular wage rise of 2 pct, for a total raise of at least 18,000 yen in monthly pay, for small and midsize companies. Overall, it will seek a pay-scale rise of 3 pct or more.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]