林業労働者の雇用条件に関する研究 : 森林組合作業班の賃金水準

Abstract

林業労働者の減少と高齢化は急速に進んでおり, その雇用条件の改善が急務となっている。雇用条件のなかでも貸金は重要な条件である。本研究では, 鹿児島県北薩森林計画区内の森林組合作業班員を対象に, 賃金の現状と希望内容を検討した。1995年9月に309人の作業班員に対してアンケート調査票を配布したところ222人より回答を得た (回収率71. 8%)。なお, 回答者の平均年齢は, 男子が58. 3歳, 女子が59, 0歳と, 本調査地域においても高齢化が進んでいる。集計の結果, 以下のことがわかった。1) 賃金の受け取り方法は日給月給制が68. 5%を占め, 残りは何らかの出来高制である。月給制は採用されていない。2) 賃金 (一日あたりでチェーンソー等の損料を除く, 以下同じ) の平均は男子が7, 174円, 女子が5, 867円である。この金額は全国的に見てかなり低い方に位置する。3) 年間就労日数より作業班員としての平均月収を計算すると, 男子で11. 6万円, 女子で9. 0万円である (諸手当を除く)。作業班員としての収入のみで家計を維持することは難しく, 農業収入がある者が58. 4%, 年金収入がある者が21. 3%, 畜産業からの収入がある者が15. 8%等となっている (複数回答)。4) 作業班員としての収入が年間所得に占める割合より推定した平均年収は246. 4万円である。5) 賃金の年齢階層別平均にははっきりした傾向を見いだすことができない。男子の場合, 最も高いのは60歳代で7, 310円, 最も低いのは20歳代の6, 233円である。6) 希望貸金は, 男子の場合, 伐採が11, 193円, 集材・搬出が10, 830円, 造林が8, 551円である。これは現行平均賃金を著しく上回るものである。7) 賞与に対しては82. 8%が希望しており, 支給希望額は年間32. 2万円で, これは現行賃金の約3カ月分相当である。8) 地域の森林組合管理者, 森林所有者, 指導林家・青年林業士, 一人親方が林業労働力を安定的に確保するために必要と考える賃金水準は作業班員が希望している貸金と大きくは異なっていない。伐採, 集材・搬出について, 上記関係者は日当として1万円以上が必要であるとの点で意見は一致している。

The number of forestry workers is decreasing and the average age of these workers is increasing in most areas of Japan. It is of urgent necessity for the continuation local forestry activities to improve employment conditions. Among employment conditions, wages are the most important factor. In this analysis, the recent situation and problems related to wages in Hokusatsu Forest Planning Area of Kagoshima Prefecture were clarified by a questionnaire survey conducted in September 1995 along with an interview survey. The questionnaire was distributed to all forestry workers belonging to all local forestry associations in the survey area (309 forestry workers in total), 222 persons responded and the response ratio was 71.8%. The average age of the responding forestry workers was 58.3 years old for men and 59.0 for women. The age issue among forestry workers was also found in this survey area. The following issues were clarified by the questionnaire survey. 1) As the method of paying wages, the percentage under the "daily wage/monthly wage system" was 68.5%. Most other cases were similar to a piece work system. The salary system was not used at all. 2) The average daily wage (excluding the rent of chain saws and so on ; this is to be considered below) was 7,174 yen for men and 5,867 yen for women. This wage level is located at a low level comparing all over the country. 3) The average monthly income calculated from the daily wage and number of working days was 116,000 yen for men and 90,000 yen for women excluding sundry allowance. It is difficult for forestry workers with such a low level of monthly income to sustain their lives. Most forestry workers have other income sources, namely, agriculture (58.4%), annuity (21.3%) and stock raising (15.8%). 4) The average yearly total income from the average monthly income and the share of forestry income to total household income was estimated to be 2,464,000 yen. 5) The average daily wage classified by age-group showed no clear tendency. For men, the highest age group was 60-69 years (7,310 yen), and the lowest was 20-29 years (6,293 yen). 6) The expected daily wage for men was 11, 193 yen for cutting, 10,830 yen for yarding and extraction, and 8, 511 yen for planting. These figures are considerably greater than the wages currently paid. 7) The necessity of bonuses was noted by 82.8% of forestry workers. The yearly bonus that they would like to get was approximately equal to 3 months pay. 8) The daily wage necessary to satisfy forestry workers of the local forestry associations was estimated to be almost the same level paid to managers of local forestry associations, forest owners, advisory forest owners, one-person boss forestry workers, and forestry workers of local forestry associations. In cases of cutting, yarding and extraction, their opinions were almost unanimous in that the daily wage should be over 10,000 yen.