Evening star., 1950-04-23

will have much to do with the
future of trade and industry and
ultimate prosperity or lack of it
Equally, however, business ano
business profits in what is basi-
cally a very poor country will de-
termine whether or not organized
labor has future in Japan.
The question then becomes one
of whether labor unions are grow
ing along workable lines, and
more important, whether japanese
trade and industry can afford an
emancipated and more expensive
labor force.
Postwar Labor Reform
Within a few weeks after VI
day the wartime labor fronts had
been dissolved and the rudimen-
tary prewar protection labor legis-
lation reinstated. BY the end of
1945 a labor union law guarantee
ing for the first time in Japanese
history the right of labor to Or
ganize and to bargain collectively
was promulgated. In September,
1916, the Japanese diet passed a
labor adjustment law establishing
a framework for labor relations.
Shortly after that a labor
standards law was passed includ-
ing the eight-hour day. portal-to-
portal pay. safety and sanitary
codes, compensation for injury,
and various other provisions de-
signed e. to provide work.
ing conditions to meet the needs
Of the worker in leading a life
worthy Of a human being"
All Of this legislation was, of
course, prodded into existence by
the occupation authorities. Com
ing as rapidly as it did, it at
tempted to bridge by law, in a
matter of months, the ground
which Western nations have COW
cred in labor relations and labor
economics over a period of 100
years. The resulting growing
pains were hardly surprising, even
less SO by reason of the economic
exhaustion of the country and
the concurrent application Of
large-scale reform to all other
features Of Japanese society.
Business In the postwar years
has been all but bankrupt and
in no position even to employ the
entire labor force. much less pro-
vide optimum terms in wages,
hours and working conditions.
That Japan has escaped social
chaos in these years is a tribute
to the stable and Woodworking
characteristics of the japanese
people and to the guiding effect
of our occupation.
The organization of labor be-
gan In Japan as soon as permitted.
Unions claimed a membership of
more than 2 million within the
first year after the surrender. To-
day probably more than go per
cent OF the non-agricultural work.
ing force Is organized.
Early Strikes Were Weird
The new unions began to use
their strength almost as soon as
they were formed. Labor disputes
quickly broke out and have con-
tinued with regularity. Early la
Dor troubles took weird form,
corresponding probably to the fer
ment of Japanese society at the
end OF the war. The police of the
city OF Takasaki, for example,
staged the first police strike in
Japanese history to protest the
governments. system of sugar dis
tribution. Employees of Yomiuri,
Tokyo's most popular newspaper,
struck to emphasize their ideas on
the war guilt of MANAGEMENT.
M1tsuis Bibai coal mine went on
strike, but resumed operations on
a "self-control" basis, excluding
management from the property.
Similarly the street railways of
Tokyo eliminated management for
time, but ran the streetcars
and banked the profits for the
company.
The city employees of Tokyo in
stltuted a business control of
the city, under which all official
papers were countersigned by the
union. the idea being to make the
city fathers lose face. Settlement
also was quite Japanese, the au-
thorities agreeing to loan the
striking employees the increased
wages they demanded.
Two features of unionism in
Japan have provided difficulties
Tor those concerned with getting
the country back on it's feet
First is the strong preoccupatiop
OF japanese labor with what il
calls production control, amount
ing to an attempt by labor to take
over as many as possible of the
functions Of management. The
effect has been bad since the issue
is too fundamental to be settled
by bargaining and since it has
harasSing results in the operation
Of industry.
Top Officials Join
Labor's attempt at management
has occasionally led also to the
forcing into workers unions not
only of foremen but executives OF
plants and top corporation Off
cials. Where such officials have
been forced into the union, labor
has at times insisted that their
appointment be subject to union
confirmation, with equally poor
results to business management.
The second disturbing develop
ment in labor relations has been
the tendency Of labor to use the
strike for political purposes. This
parallels the same sort of thing
in Europe. The fact that ir
Japan. like Europe, the govern
ment owns the railways and com.
munications system and is the
largest enn10ver of 1abor %oa;1,