JAPANESE STRIKE THREAT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25091, 24 January 1947, Page 7

JAPANESE STRIKE THREAT

Workers Employed By State CONCESSIONS BY CABINET (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) NEW YORK Jan. 22. ’.‘The Japanese Cabinet has offered sweeping concessions to Government employees who threaten to strike on February 1, causing virtual paralysis of Japan's industry,” says the ‘‘New York Times’’ correspondent in Japan. “TJhe Government ihas promised to meet a considerable proportion of the demands by railway workers, communications men. school teachers, tax collectors, and others on whose work the operation of the Japanese public life depends. “The concessions include a blanket 25 per cent, increase in wages plus a rise of 150 yen a month, which is 10 dollars at the official exchange rate, and an increase from 500 to 750 yen in the amount which Government employees can draw monthly in cash. This represents a partial abandonment

of the salary blocking system which was applied throughout Japan as an anti-inflationist measure. The third concession is a bill in the next Parliamentary session to revise the tax on earned income to increase the amount of ‘take home’ pay in vital industries administered by the Government. “The Cabinet emphasised that the present measures were temporary only, and any wage revision could be made only after investigation by the newly-appointed Wage Examination Commission, which included Government, labour, industrial, and public representatives. “Although the Government’s offer represents probably the most realistic and generous offer yet made to the workers, there is considerable doubt whether Government employees and nine key trade unions of the Japanese Congress of Industrial Organisations who now intend to join the February strike will be satisfied. Several unions, including the iron, steel, electrical, shipping, coal mining, chemical, printing, publishing-and medical supply workers have admitted that their purpose in joining in the strike was to overthrow Mr Yoshida’s Government rather than to gain additional economic advantages.”