Labor unions have recently reappeared in news headlines in Japan and the US as both countries recognize a need to improve employee wages, benefits, and working conditions. However, there is a striking fundamental difference between the two countries. US law requires a majority of employees to support union representation before a company is required to negotiate with the union. That results in high-profile unionization campaigns like those taking place at Amazon warehouses and Starbucks stores. By contrast, employers in Japan must bargain in good faith with minority unions, sometimes more than one at a workplace. How does this affect unionization and collective bargaining, and what are the implications for the future of labor markets in Japan and the US? Two leading experts on labor law, Professor Hiroya Nakakubo of Hitotsubashi University and Professor Alan Hyde of Rutgers Law School, will join NYU Law Adjunct Professor Bruce Aronson in discussion.
