Seasonal workers

This refers to workers who work in industries where the rate of operation fluctuates significantly due to the season. They are forced to work long hours and work a high workload during busy periods, but face underworking and a lack of work during slow periods. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Basic Survey on Employment Structure defines seasonal workers as those who work less than 200 days a year and only work during certain seasons, such as the busy farming season or fishing season. According to the same survey, the number of seasonal workers (excluding self-employed and family workers) increased from the 1960s to the early 1980s, but has been gradually decreasing since. In 1962 (Showa 37), there were 172,000 people, in 1971 there were 393,000 people, in 1982 there were 530,000 people, in 1992 (Heisei 4) there were 492,000 people, in 2002 there were 435,000 people, and in 2007 there were 400,800 people. As of 2007, the largest number of seasonal workers by industry was agriculture (76,000 people), followed by manufacturing (49,000 people) and construction (47,000 people). Within the manufacturing industry, roughly half of the seasonal workers were in the food manufacturing industry (24,000 people), as typified by sake brewing toji (master brewers). By region, the largest number of seasonal workers were in Hokkaido (16.0% of the total) and the Tohoku region (13.7% of the total).

Seasonal workers face serious problems in their livelihoods during periods when they are out of work, but under the provisions of the Employment Insurance Law (Law No. 116 of 1974), they are provided with a special lump-sum payment equivalent to 50 days' worth of unemployment benefits when they become unemployed. Furthermore, to prevent unemployment caused by seasonal factors, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare provides year-round employment subsidies to employers as part of the employment stabilization projects under the Employment Insurance Law.

[Goga Kazumichi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

季節の影響により操業度の変動が著しい産業に就労する労働者をいう。繁忙期には長時間労働と高い労働密度を強いられるが、閑散期には過少労働や仕事の欠乏に直面する。総務省の「就業構造基本調査」では、年間就業日数が200日未満で、農繁期や盛漁期など、ある季節だけ仕事をしている者を季節的就業者と定義している。同調査によれば、季節労働者（自営業者、家族従業者を除く）の数は1960年代から1980年代初めにかけて増加した後、漸減傾向にある。1962年（昭和37）17万2000人、1971年39万3000人、1982年53万人、1992年（平成4）49万2000人、2002年43万5000人、2007年40万0800人。2007年時点の季節労働者の産業別内訳は農業がもっとも多く（7万6000人）、これに製造業（4万9000人）、建設業（4万7000人）が続いている。製造業のなかでは酒造業の杜氏(とうじ)に代表されるように食品製造業（2万4000人）の季節労働者が約半数を占めている。地域別では北海道（全体の16.0％）、東北地方（同13.7％）に多い。

　季節労働者にとっては仕事がない期間の生活問題が深刻であるが、雇用保険法（昭和49年法律第116号）の規定により、失業時に50日分の失業給付に相当する特例一時金が支給されている。さらに季節的要因によって失業が生ずることを防ぐために、厚生労働省は雇用保険法の雇用安定事業の一環として通年雇用奨励金を事業主に支給している。

［伍賀一道］

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