Activities
Activities
1. Major Surveys and Studies (Study Committees)
i) Economic Society
Study Committee (Standing)
(Chairman: Akira
Sadahiro,
This
committee presents economic and social policy proposals, based on economic and
social situations analyses and macroeconomic simulations, while looking into,
in depth, various conditions necessary to be met in order to realize an
economic social system full of vitality and anxiety-free, from the perspective
of "building a welfare economic society."
The committee publishes
"Annual Economic Situation Report" in October every year.
ii) Survey Study
Committee on Fixed-Point Observations about the Quality of Workers' Lives (Standing)
(Chairman: Toshio Chiba,Senior Researcher, RENGO-RIALS)
This survey
study is designed to measure the quality of workers' lives on continuous basis
by ascertaining workers' awareness of their work and lives, follow the trends
of business conditions, employment, income, and consumption, and clarify the
nature of challenges recognized at different times. The overriding purpose of
this study thus is to obtain basic data and reference material needed for
policy formulation.
Since the first
questionnaire survey in April, 2001, the study survey has been held twice a year
in April and October. Its results are made public after completion of each
study in a report, titled, "Questionnaire Survey Report on Work and Life of
Workers."
iii) "Restructuring of a
Modern Welfare State (Study series Ⅳ)"
Study Committee on a
Comprehensive Strategy toward a Modern Welfare State in Our Country
(October 2005 ~
September 2007)
(Chairman: Norio
Okazawa, Professor,
As a
concluding study on "Restructuring of a Modern Welfare State", a serial study
conducted since fiscal 2002, we survey and study the very theory of "modern
welfare state" and probe a new way to achieve such a modern welfare state, and
also examine a comprehensive strategy to attain the goal.
First we sum up the
definition, concept, standing and other aspects of a present-day welfare state.
In so doing, we focus on how the European states, like Japan in the face of
critical situations as a welfare state, coped with the changing social
environment and developed new social strategies, together with welfare, social
security and employment policies in line with the strategies in recent years,
thus challenging to restore or restructure the welfare state. We also try to
make clear how and where employment/labor stands in a welfare state.
From these
viewpoints, we historically examine
iv) Study on Fairness
and Justice in Employment
(October 2005 ～ September 2007)
(Chairman: Yoichi
Shimada, Professor,
In
present-day
In this study, focusing
on the realities of disparities among various working conditions, we examine
where the real problems lie and discuss policy issues and the roles of labor
unions to realize fair and just employment.
v) Study on the Present
Situation and Prospective of Workers' Participation in
(October 2005 ～ September 2007)
(Chairman: Norio
Hisamoto, Professor,
For a worker
to play a leading role in his/her own professional destiny, a worker's
participation system is indispensable, where a worker is allowed to have a
voice in management, representing labor's interests, as a way of exercising
influence over a company's decision making concerning employment. And this
system cannot be realized without the work of labor unions. Regarding in-house
labor-management relationships in
In this
study, we clarify realities of workers' participation in
vi) Study Committee on
"Work-Life Balance: A New Style of Work and Life"
(October 2006 ～ September 2008)
(Chairman: Kaoru Sato,
Associate Professor, the
In the era of more and more globalizing
economies with rapidly growing information and communication technology,
industries and corporations along with work and the workplace are dramatically
changing. Concurrently, there has been a structural sea change in the arena of
life, impacting institutions like family and community. With these 'new
realities' come the challenges of keeping balance among the various aspects of
life which include work, family and community.
Maintaining the balance has become a major issue for individuals and for
society, industries and corporations. Above all, in
How can an individual achieve a
well-balanced condition in terms of work and living, social participation and
leisure activities--a so-called work-life balance--in one's life? In order to
examine this problem, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study on
lifestyle, free from conventional frameworks and conceptions, and to implement
a policy based on the study results with an approach that will cover and cross
diverse fields and aspects.
From the viewpoint of a work-life balance,
the study aims to create a new, comprehensive and thorough study on life and to
clarify what individual work and life situations are actually like while
identifying problem areas. Then, from the viewpoint of worker happiness, the
committee will discuss various conditions and policy issues needed to realize a
new lifestyle for work and life.
vii) Research Committee
on International Comparison of Time Use
(October 2006 ～ September 2008)
(Chairman: Machiko
Osawa, Professor, Japan Women's University)
A study on time use
endeavors to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) in terms of time spent on paid
work, unpaid work, leisure activities and so on in daily lives. For the improvement
of the QOL, we can get many policy implications from time use study in broad
issues.
This type of
investigation has been attracting much attention as a field of lifestyle study,
which enables international comparisons among lives in various countries and
regions of the world through utilizing the common criterion "time". In recent
years, the scope of study has been widening on account of the growing interest
in rearranging or rebalancing time use from perspective of life course in mind.
For example, individuals may seek arrangements of working time or a way of
working that can provide enough time for family responsibility and lifelong
learning or training, or hope to correct the gender imbalance as to spend time
in family more systematically.
It is especially
important for us to clarify the distinctive feature of the current situation of
the current Japanese leisure by international comparisons on the basis of
recent trends in the time use study. Here may lay clues on the improvement of
the QOL in the present-day, where people feel more and more uncomfortable with
respect to time use, as their quality of life further deteriorates.
Therefore, on the basis
of the survey on "International Comparison of Time Use" conducted twice in the
past by RENGO-RIALS (JTUC Research Institute for Advancement of Living
Standards), the committee presents the current situation of time use of
Japanese workers and their perception of life, examines the changing trends in
recent years, and, then, clarifies characteristics and problems of time use in
Japan through comparisons with workers in other advanced industrial countries,
considering various policy-related issues from the viewpoint of the work-life
balance and a better quality of life.
viii) Research Committee
on Industrial Innovation and Employment in a Global Economy
(October 2006 ～ September 2008)
(Chairman: Konosuke Odaka, Professer Emeritus, Hitotsubashi University
& Hosei University)
With the repeated
rearrangement of international division of labor among manufacturing industries
in a global economy, many Japanese corporations are increasingly building their
finishing manufacturing plants overseas. It is essential that
In the study, the
committee first clarifies the present situation of consolidating the human
resources on basis of industrial innovation, such as education/training, job
creation etc., in response to issues of the above-mentioned upgrading of
production systems, changes in industrial structure, innovation, etc. Then, the
committee discusses matters concerning industrial policies, employment/labor
policies and education/training policies so that
Furthermore, taking
account of regional disparity, which turned out to be a major problem in the
current business recovery phase, the committee investigates conditions for
industrial development and for sustaining and improving the quality of life in
each region of
2.
Contract
Surveys/Studies (April 2006 ~ March 2007)
|
Study Themes |
Clients |
|
"Research
and Study on Labor-Management Issues Concerning Outside Human Resources Like
Contract Workers" |
|
|
RENGO
Questionnaire Survey on Labor
Realities |
RENGO,
General Labor Bureau |
1.
Holding
Symposiums and Other Events
"RENGO-SOKEN Forum" is
held in October every year, where the Annual Economic Situation Report is made
public. In addition, other symposiums on a variety of themes are held.
2.
Publication
of Study Reports
l
"An Analysis of Employment Mismatch and Issues
to Be Challenged", authored by Prof. Isao Ohashi of
l
"Establishment of Active Insurance for Minimum
Life--International Comparison and Prospects", Prof. Ichisaburo Tochimoto of
l
"Welfare Society based on Co-assistance,
Co-operation and Synergy of the People - a New Challenge of "Workers' Voluntary
Welfare", authored by Prof. Naomi Maruo of
l
"Report of the 11th Questionnaire Survey on the
Work and Life of Workers", published by RENGO-RIALS, April 2006.
l
"Report of the 15th Survey on Trade Union Dues",
published by RENGO and RENGO-RIALS, May 2006.
l
"Report
of the Survey on Wage System and Trade Union's Agenda", authored by Prof.
Mitsuo Ishida of
l
"Report of the Questionnaire Survey on Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR), published by RENGO-RIALS, October 2006
l
"A Path toward a Fair and Sound Economic Society
-FY2006-FY2007 Economic Situation Report", authored by Prof. Akira Sadahiro of
l
"Study Committee on Economic Development and
Labor in
3.
Publication
of the monthly report, "DIO*"
RENGO-RIALS issues the
house organ, "DIO," on the first of every month to communicate the institute's
study results and policy proposals to union organizations, mass media, and
various other research organizations.
RENGO-RIALS issues an
English annual report in February every year.
*DIO stands
for "Data Information Opinion."
4.
Opening of
its Home Page to the public
The institute's Website
Home Page was revised in November, 2000.
Accesses from the public since have numbered over 190,000.
5.
Plan for the
20th Anniversary Commemorative Projects and its Implementation
In honor of the 20th
anniversary of RENGO-RIALS' founding slated for December 2007, and to further
the study results in the fields of economic society, social insurance/ welfare,
employment/labor, industries and corporations, and to help develop future
activities, the institute plans to carry out the following work:
(1)
Issue a commemorative publication to widely inform the public of the
institute's study results and hold a commemorative symposium
(2)
Compile and publish two booklets, "Steps made in twenty years" and "Outline and
summary of the study results" to publicize its activities
(3)
Digitize its reports and enhance its web site
At the same time, we will develop the
"RENGO-RIALS Mid-term Vision", expecting to further promote our future research
activities.
There are 11 other
similar research institutes, affiliated with RENGO's member industrial
organizations. Together with them, RENGO-RIALS holds and participates in the
"Exchange Forum for Labor-Related Think Tanks," in order to facilitate mutual
exchange and strengthen cooperative relationships through sharing of study
results and exchange of views.
<Active Exchanges with Overseas
Labor-related Research Organizations>
The Japanese Trade Union
Confederation - Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards
(Rengo-RIALS) has actively been participating in the project to form an
international network of research organizations with a view toward promoting
the labor unions' policy-making capacity in response to the "globalization of
solidarity," exchanging information and furthering mutual cooperation.
First,
Rengo-RIALS rendered cooperation in preparing input for the Labor Economic
Index and Labor-Management Relationship Basic Information Database, and
provided information, submitting reports in English, to Global Union Research
Network (GURN), which was established in February 2004 in cooperation among
ILO, ICFTU, OECD-TUAC and labor union-related research organizations in
respective countries.
Moreover, in
the Asian Pacific region, work for building a regional-level network for
research is under way as a result of agreements reached at the preparatory
meeting held in January 2003, and co-hosted by three parties: ICFTU-APRO,
JTUC(RENGO) and Rengo-RIALS. The meeting aimed to examine the present research
conducted by labor union-related research organizations in the Asian-Pacific
region and to promote future international cooperation. In fiscal 2005, as part
of this project, we vigorously participated in the entire process of
plan/design and implementation for the Asian-Pacific Regional Labor Union
Research Network Summer Seminar held in