University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0659
Survey Title Questionnaire Survey for the Reduction of Working Hours, 2003
Depositor Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees' Unions
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' at SSJDA website.

- Apply to SSJDA. Depositor's approval required.
Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
Nesstar Not available
Summary This survey was conducted as part of the Shorter Working Hours Promotion Month in November 2003, in order to gain a detailed understanding of the working realities and attitudes of members of unions affiliated with the Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees’ Unions (JCU), feeding the findings back into initiatives related to shorter working hours conducted by JCU and its member unions, and thereby contributing to improvements in working conditions across the board.

In November every year, JCU conducts a survey with approximately 25% of union members (approximately 10,000 people) to gather information on their working hours. For 31 years since 1972, this survey has shed light on the work environment in the construction industry while adapting the content of the questions to suit changes in society.

This survey investigates and analyzes in detail the current state of working hours, among other things, including taking days off on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays and overtime work, against the background of strengthening administrative guidance for and growing public interest in the resolution of unpaid overtime, the accurate appreciation of working hours, and similar issues.
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Members of Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees' Unions
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size Sample size: 10,715 people
Valid responses: 7,037 people
Valid response rate: 65.7%
Date of Collection 2003-11-01 ~ 2003-11-01
2003/11/01
Time Period 2003 ~ 2003
Spatial Unit
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
A sample of approximately 25% of all union members were surveyed.

Questionnaires were distributed in line with the number of members in each member union and the profile of members in terms of age, gender, occupation type, etc.

Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Conducted by distribution of paper-based self-administered questionnaire and answer sheets.

Collection method: sent by union branch to union headquarters to JCU

Investigator Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees' Unions
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0659
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation [Questionnaire]
Major Survey Items 1. Gender, age, location of workplace

2. Occupation type, work duties, availability of overtime pay

3. Worksite attributes (whether working at more than one worksites (offices),worksite format, workers assigned to worksite, contracted value of work at worksite, construction period, contractee, designer, worksite project category, use of building for construction worksite)

4. Worksite closures (contracted days off, conditions for days off under works schedule, complete closures of respondent’s worksite for days off in November, reasons for inability to close worksite on Saturdays, initiatives for unified worksite closures on Saturdays (initiatives in place, implementation, reasons for inability to implement closures, degree of ease of arranging closures, reasons why closures were easy)

5. Taking days off on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (taking days off on Saturdays, number of days off taken on Saturdays in November, thoughts on taking Saturdays off, number of days off taken on Sundays in November, number of national holidays taken)

6. Taking annual paid leave (number of annual paid leave days taken)

7. Job transfer leave systems (availability of the systems, whether respondent is subject to transfer between worksites, number of job transfer leave days taken, means of taking job transfer leave)

8. Regarding overtime work (whether workplace has implemented efforts for days with no overtime, number of non-scheduled working hours in November, reasons for doing overtime, reasons why unpaid overtime exists, means of reducing overtime, mode of work, number of days with late night work in November, number of late night working hours in November)

9. Attitudes toward working hours (means of achieving shorter working hours across the entire construction industry, contents of social restrictions under laws, etc., expectations toward union with regard to shorter working hours)

10. Attractiveness of the construction industry (feelings of attraction toward the construction industry; reasons for feeling attracted; reasons for not feeling attracted; efforts that should be made, other than on wages and reduction of work hours, to make the industry attractive)

11. Article 36 agreements (awareness of the word “Article 36 agreements,” awareness of contents (number of hours) of Article 36 agreements, number of hours per month according to the agreements)

12. Relating to health problems and mental health (degree of work-related fatigue compared to one year ago, presence of anxiety about health, health anxiety-related items, etc.)

Date of Release 2010/09/16
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Occupational health
Working conditions
Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Version 1 : 2010-09-16
Notes for Users While the Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees’ Unions “Questionnaire Survey for the Reduction of Working Hours” is administered annually to union members, it is not a panel survey.