Shunto Pay Hikes Average 5.4 Pct in 2nd Rengo Tally

Tokyo, March 21 (Jiji Press)--Pay increases offered by Japanese companies so far in this year's "shunto" spring wage negotiations have averaged 5.40 pct, a second tally by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, showed Friday.

The figure was down 0.06 percentage point from the first tally, but remained the highest in 34 years compared with final tallies in past years.

The second tally covered 1,388 labor unions that had received responses from management as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The average monthly pay increase came to 17,486 yen, higher than 16,379 yen a year before and the highest since comparable data began in 2013.

The average pay increase offered to small and midsize unions with fewer than 300 members stood at 4.92 pct, down 0.17 point from the first tally.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]