This made any particular union reluctant to strike for higher wages and better working conditions, for fear that rival companies would simply snap up market share during the stoppage.
[7] By ameliorating labor strife and avoiding economic uncertainty, this system suited both workers and employers, and rapidly spread throughout Japan, becoming an enduring feature of Japanese industrial relations.
Moreover, the wages of the employees in government and government-affiliated corporations are raised through the National Personnel Authority (NPA) recommendation system, which is also influenced by the results of the spring offensive.
"[9] In recent years, Japan has suffered from a number of recessions and deflation, and union membership has been falling, causing the value of the shuntō and the automatic wage increases associated with it to come under threat.
Major unions in the steel, electronics, and automotive industries have been forced to reduce their demands and, in some years, even accept no increase in wages from employers.