Creating Permanent Temporary Works

One of the greatest reasons why social rift between the rich and poor got broader in Japan in the first decade of twenty first century was designated reform of labor market. Increasing irregular employment, in which workers were significantly vulnerable in terms of salary, social security and other conditions for employment. Although the administration dominated by Democratic Party of Japan tried to fix this problem, Shinzo Abe administration is resuming separation policy. The difference is whether to see from the viewpoint of employers or workers.

Temporary Staff Supply Act of 1986 determined status of temporary staffs dispatched by supplier of human resource. Its purpose was to protect the rights of workers from being kept in weak status of temporary staff. However, the law was revised to the direction of expanding employers’ discretion. The types of business to which sending temporary staff was allowed was increased from thirteen to twenty-six. The longest term for supplying temporary staff was extended from one year to three years in 1999.

Having experienced upsurge of social frustration DPJ administration prohibited dispatching of temporary staff over three years. Firmly supported by trade unions and unequivocally represented the standpoint of workers, it declared elimination of the working poor who suffered from low-level protection for their labor.

Now, Abe administration is preparing for submitting a bill to resume dispatching temporary staff for over three years in current session of the Diet. In the discussion at Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, Abe explained that the law woulb be welcomed by temporary staffs, because the company for human resource would have to request permanent status for its temporary staffs at the end of temporary work. But, DPJ is worried about temporary staffs staying in its situation permanently.

Temporary workers, regardless dispatched by company or not, is increasing. Number of workers without official contract with the firm was nineteen million, adding four hundred and twenty thousand to the number in a year ago. Average of annual income of dispatched temporary workers last year was ¥1.67 million, a third of the average of official hired workers.

Firmly believing in trickle-down theory of macro-economy, Abe is reluctant to see Japan economy from the viewpoint of workers. He thinks that taking care of the workers is not the job for the government, but for the employers. Being aware of money poured into business had not reached to the workers, he started persuading employers to trickle-down their benefits. But what he is doing is not about free market economy in liberal democracy, but regulated economy in authoritarian democracy.