Nationwide department store sales are still depressed in Japan.  The region-to-region and store-to-store gap is growing.  While the poor performance of department stores is generally attributed to external factors such as competition with other types of retailers and a rapid expansion of store base, an internal factor is also pointed out to the effect that department stores have become less attractive.

Under the circumstances, department stores are trying to transform themselves into strong business entities by taking various measures to improve their capability in sales and other business functions.

JSD affiliates will also help their respective employers to establish business foundations through continuous labour management consultations.  They will locally promote realistic activities to watch the running of the companies.

Major activities include:

1) Selecting some of the JSD policies that have a major impact on department stores to address as section-specific challenges.  The Section may develop demands and talk to the industry when necessary.

2) Promoting and implementing JSD policies, namely control of working hours and elimination of unpaid off-the-clock work

3) Advancing negotiations for better working conditions through two schemes--the year-round negotiations for better work rules and the spring negotiations for across-the- board wage hikes.

4)  Helping the adoption and expansion of the "Professional Sales Staff in Department Store Certificate" and participating in the "Industry-specific Elderly Employment Promotion Project."  By promoting these joint labour management programmes, the Section expects to further strengthen industry-wide labour management relations.

5)  Enhancing the capability of the Section to provide the affiliate unions with necessary assistance, guidance and follow-through by paying more attention to them and making the Section more accessible for consultation.

6)  Holding information exchange meetings with its counterparts in other business organisations and industry-wide unions.

7)  Promoting the integration of part-time workers into the unions.

The chain store industry is characterised by heavy use of part-time employment.  Various schemes designed to promote equality and equal treatment have been introduced or being studied in many companies.  In order to develop an arrangement that respects diverse work-styles, as well as to make this industry attractive enough to get excellent people, it is imperative to improve working conditions, particularly by correcting the practice of long working hours.

Food safety is also an urgent issue in this industry.  Consumers look at food labels with more critical eyes today.  Fair trade practices, supply chain sanitation, store safety control and many other aspects need to be assured.  To make the chain store companies fulfill their corporate social responsibility, the unions must also fulfill their own responsibility.

Major activities include:

1)  Promoting policies of equality and equal treatment for part-time workers, control of working hours, elimination of unpaid off-the-clock work.

2)  Carrying out negotiations for better working conditions by unifying the two conventional schemes--the year-round negotiations for better work rules and the spring negotiations for across-the-board wage hikes.

3)  Strengthening the organisational set-up of the Section by securing 100% attendance at all presidents' meetings.

4)  Organising part-time workers.  The Section will hold networking meetings for them and encourage their participation in union activities.　The Section is looking for a better way to run the unions with part-time workers as majority of their members.

5)  Enriching Section-specific training programmes to enhance the capabilities of union officers and members of the registered affiliates.

6)  Sharing the perception of issues with the aim of establishing industry-wide labour management relations.

7)  Strengthening relations with the Commercial Department of UI Zensen.  By continuously holding UIZ-JSD chain store section meetings, the two organisations will have a venue for discussing industry-wide issues vis-à-vis employers' associations.

The General Services Section, which encompasses wholesaling, speciality stores, foods service, transportation, finance and many other industries, will continue its efforts to carry out policies while developing necessary organisational capabilities to do so.

The Section intends to strengthen itself to work more effectively in the chain of Central Executive Committee, Trade Section and Affiliate under the organisational structure of JSD.

Major activities include:

1)  Implementing JSD's welfare and industrial policies.

2)  Improving specific working conditions as defined in the official negotiation policies on the improvement of working conditions.

3)  Strengthening the organisation.  This may be achieved by assisting the registered affiliates in gaining autonomy and independence, expanding the organisation in ways best suited to the respective industries in this section and unionising part-time workers and other people under different types of employment.

4)  Leveraging the power of the Sub-Sections.

5)  Fulfilling organisational functions.  This includes organising overseas study trips, working with Rengo’s Sectoral Liaison Council and dispatching information.

6)  Holding exchange meetings in specialised industry fields jointly with UI Zensen.