退職金制度の形成に関する一考察(I)
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概要
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The writer of the present essay attempts to examine the process of the formation of the system for the payment of retirement allowances, which at present is extensively in practice in Japan whenever any of a company's employees is either dismissed or asked to retire, and to clarify, through such examination, the nature of the system. He is of the opinion that the practice is the outcome of the industrial., relations peculiar to Japan. In the initial stages of the development of capitalism in Japan, fiber industry, especially spinning industry and munition industry (comprising machinery, shipbuilding and vehicles) were counted among the most important industries. Labor employed by the spinning industry consisted principally of female workers, mostly hailing from destitute peasant families. They used to work at factories for a certain fixed period before getting married, in order to assist their families' livelihood. In spinning industry the wages paid to these female workers and their working condition were extremely unsatisfactory. They suffer from diseases frequently and they had to undergo extreme mental degeneration. Because of the low wages and harsh working conditions, they frequently changed jobs. Their service at a particular factory, consequently, were of a short duration, while a reduction of their working efficiency was unavoidable. The employer, on his part, resorted to alluring experienced workers from other factories or closing their dormitory to the outside world, and, by so doing tried to keep workers within his reach. A certain amount wasregularly deducted from their wages, which was placed under the employer's custody. This practice was usually referred to as compulsory "saving". The money, thus "saved", was Returned to them only when the term of their employment contract expired. This was a shrewd method on preventing them from running away. Those who consecutively continued in the service to the very last day of contract were awarded a special bonus. The compulsory "saving" and payment of the bonus were a forerunner of the special payment now being undertaken at the time of dismissal and retirement. In the machine, shipbuilding and cement industries, also, a similar compulsory saving was in practice. Again, the employer frequently paid to the retiring worker a sum of additional money in the amount equalling the compulsory savings which were naturally to be paid back. Even by resorting to such means, however, the workers could not frequently be prevented from running away, and the employer had to devise various other methods to keep them at plant. These included a raise of wages as their consecutive service extended, inauguration of a mutual aid cooperative and replenishment of the company's welfare facilities- (Continued)
- 桃山学院大学の論文