Trade Unions in Japan: The Consequences of Enterprise Unionism

Abstract

What passes for a labour movement in Japan is a loose coalition of autonomous, company specific unions. These enterprise unions evolved to protect and enhance the interests of a particular group of workers, the regular employees of large corporations. Enterprise unions have shown little or no interest in organising and representing the large majority of Japanese workers, including the rapidly groving female labour force. The characteristics of enterprise unionism that contributed so importantly to the success of "corporate Japan" also contribute to the substantial decline in union density. The restructuring of Japan's economic and political systems required an assessment of the continuing viability of enterprise unionism.