{"id":719,"date":"2026-03-06T03:28:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T03:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/?page_id=719"},"modified":"2026-04-25T05:17:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T05:17:38","slug":"shitaukeunion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/list\/shitaukeunion","title":{"rendered":"Subcontractor Union"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Subcontract workers union<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-check_list\">\n<li>Name: Telecommunications Agency Union \u2192 Subcontractors Union (Name changed on April 25, 2026)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Date of Establishment: March 6, 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Type: Joint labor union<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Target: Workers employed by subcontractors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Uniting voices. Equalizing the job site.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introduction: To everyone working behind the scenes in this country<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Who is driving the Japanese economy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even products released under the names of large corporations and services advertised on TV commercials are actually built, transported, installed, and maintained by small and medium-sized enterprises, sole proprietors, and frontline workers lurking layers below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Craftspeople turning blueprints into reality on construction sites. Agencies connecting communication networks house by house. Drivers sorting cargo in warehouses late at night. Engineers writing code behind the scenes of apps. Staff supporting lives in nursing care settings. Freelance creators supporting television programs...<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the industries are different, they share a common thread: they are in the position of being called \"subcontractors\" and are the ones actually keeping society moving. And because of that position, their voices are hard to reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The subcontractor union was created to unite their voices and deliver them to society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do we need cross-industry organizations now?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Japan\u2019s industrial sector is built on a multi-tiered subcontracting structure. According to a survey by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 99.7% of domestic companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, and many of them are involved in subcontracting in some form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, within this structure, the initiative in contracts always lies with the higher tier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>unilateral price reduction<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rule change mid-contract<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>opaque settlement and deductions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sudden termination of business relations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>unjust shifting of responsibility and risk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coercion into suffering in silence, using \"industry custom\" as a shield<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are not problems limited to specific industries. Even across different business sectors, the structures are surprisingly similar. That is precisely why solidarity beyond industry boundaries is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A single company's voice cannot be heard. A single industry cannot change its structure. Then, we simply need to unite across industries. That is the raison d'\u00eatre of the subcontractors' union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our basic stance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We are not an organization aimed at confrontation or accusations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\"Protection of workers' and contractors' rights\" and \"establishment of sound business practices\" are not mutually exclusive, but two sides of the same coin. If the frontline is exhausted, the quality of products and services will inevitably decline, and ultimately the ones who suffer are the end users and society as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What we aim for is an industrial structure where prime contractors and subcontractors are bound by trust rather than hierarchy. To achieve that, we take action using equal dialogue, objective data, and lawful, well-reasoned arguments as our weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Main activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Cross-industry trade practice survey<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We continuously investigate and analyze the realities of subcontracting transactions across various industries based on feedback from the field. We visualize structural challenges common across different sectors and advance discussions based on evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Reporting actual conditions and recommendations to administrative and public agencies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We will report the actual conditions and make recommendations for corrective action to the Japan Fair Trade Commission, the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the relevant ministries and agencies regarding business practices that risk violating the Antimonopoly Act, the Subcontract Act, the new Freelance Protection Act, and various industry laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Individual Consultations and Compliance Support<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We engage in mutual aid activities through case sharing, advice, and expert introductions for individuals and small-to-medium businesses facing challenges such as unilateral contract changes, unclear settlement logic, unfair shifting of responsibility, and unpaid compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Information dissemination as a common industry challenge<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>By organizing and communicating this not as an issue concerning individual companies, but as a \"structural challenge common to the entire industry,\" we will deter unfair pressure and embed a culture of fair trade in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Building cross-industry solidarity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We gather the voices of subcontractors who tend to be isolated by industry, and enhance their negotiating power and social influence through horizontal collaboration. We deliver voices as an organization that cannot be reached by a single company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Recommendations for a Sustainable Industrial Structure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Protecting the working environment on the ground is the very sustainability of the industry. We will make specific proposals to correct disparities between higher and lower tiers, ensure contract transparency, and establish fair compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Providing learning and educational opportunities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We share truly practical knowledge for the field through study sessions, seminars, and material distribution, including how to read contracts, basic knowledge of the Subcontract Act, and initial response procedures when troubles occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Five Values We Cherish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fairness - Sound business relationships based on laws and contracts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transparency: Clear, written rules that do not rely on opaque \"practices\"<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equality: A relationship where the client and the contractor are bound by trust rather than status.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Solidarity: The courage to cross industry barriers and unite our voices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sustainability: An industrial structure that does not exhaust the frontline and can be maintained for the long term<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eligible for enrollment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This union is open to all workers, regardless of industry, occupation, or employment status, who are in the following situations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business operators experiencing challenges in their business relationships with primary contractors and upper-tier businesses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sole proprietors and freelancers working under commission or contracting agreements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees, contract workers, and outsourced workers working at multi-layered job sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>industry stakeholders and supporters interested in improving trade practices and working conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Any industry is welcome. Construction, telecommunications, IT, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, media, creative, security, cleaning, nursing care, food and beverage, education\u2014this is an organization open to all industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you get by joining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Individual Consultation Desk: Initial Response Advice and Expert Referral during a Trouble Incident<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Case Study Database - Learning Problem-Solving Hints from Similar Cases in Other Industries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Study Groups and Seminars: Practical Knowledge on Contracts, Legal Affairs, and Negotiation Skills<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cross-Industry Network: A space to connect with peers in the same position<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collective outreach \u2014 The power to deliver voices that cannot reach alone, as an organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ongoing information provision \u2014 Timely sharing of legal amendments, administrative trends, and industry trends<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The future we aim for<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A future where the word \"subcontractor\" is redefined not as a disparaged position, but as a proud role that supports society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A society where vulnerability is not taken for granted and exploited. A society where the word \"contract\" serves as proof of an equal promise. A society where everyone working on the ground is fairly evaluated and can continue to work with pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subcontractors unions achieve that future through solidarity that transcends industry barriers and positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One voice. Equal ground. Your participation is a step toward changing the industrial structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">List of activities of the Telecommunications Agency Union<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"p-postListWrap\"><p>The article was not found.<\/p><div class=\"is-style-more_btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/archives\/category\/tsushindairitenunion\/\" class=\"btn_text\">See more<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u4e0b\u8acb\u3051\u30e6\u30cb\u30aa\u30f3\u306b\u3064\u3044\u3066 \u58f0\u3092\u3001\u3072\u3068\u3064\u306b\u3002\u73fe\u5834\u3092\u3001\u5bfe\u7b49\u306b\u3002 \u306f\u3058\u3081\u306b \u2015 \u3053\u306e\u56fd\u306e\u300c\u7e01\u306e\u4e0b\u300d\u3067\u50cd\u304f\u3059\u3079\u3066\u306e\u4eba\u3078  [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":318,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-719","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=719"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":873,"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/719\/revisions\/873"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/minnanounion.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}