索尼（Sony Corp）明年可能下調員工平均工資，這對日本大公司而言頗為罕見，也和日本首相安倍晉三提出的通過漲薪來促進經濟增長的想法背道而馳。

安倍連續第二年給大公司施加壓力，要求它們在下一財年（從4月份開始）提高基本工資并增加投資，以便開啟工資-利潤-物價依次上漲的良性循環，進而結束日本長達15年的通縮。

日本最大的電子行業工會全日本電機電子信息關聯產業工會聯合會（JEIU）可能要求將基本工資提高2%以上，預計相關企業將普遍滿足這項要求。但大多數索尼員工都不屬于這個工會，而該公司885萬日元（7.4萬美元）的平均薪酬則是行業最高工資水平之一。

兩年來，索尼已六次下調盈利預期，目前正在經歷痛苦的重組。今年早些時候，這家曾經傳奇的電子制造企業表示，將對薪資結構進行十年來的首次大調整，但未具體說明工資將出現怎樣的變化。

索尼發言人菊池洋表示：“整個索尼都面臨困境，目前我們正對多個方面進行研究。現有的人力資源體系建立于大約10年前，因此也到了重新評估的時候。”

在日本，減薪并不常見，特別是那些以終身雇傭為傳統并且論資歷支付薪酬的大公司。狀況艱難時，雇主往往采取降低獎金和加班費，以及減少聘用應屆畢業生的方法。

“安倍經濟學”給日本經濟帶來了時斷時續的復蘇，盡管利潤已經處于歷史高點，索尼仍保持著防御型思維模式。9月份，該公司將全年凈虧損預期從500億日元上調至2300億日元，并取消了分紅，這是索尼上市以來首次做出這樣的決定。

菊池洋稱，盡管全公司的平均工資可能下調，但降薪細節尚未敲定。本次調整的重點是改善精英管理制度。也就是說，不擔任管理職務但發揮領導作用的員工可能加薪，其他人的工資則可能下降。

她指出：“最重要的一點是，我們希望按照員工發揮的作用來支付薪水并評定其等級。這樣應該可以提高成本效益。”

JEIU秘書長矢木孝幸表示，該組織尚未確立官方立場，但提高工資對日本經濟很關鍵。包括汽車制造商在內的日本金屬行業工會引導著工資調整幅度，JEIU可能像其一樣要求將工資上調2%。

矢木孝幸對路透社（Reuters）記者說：“個人消費約占日本GDP的60%，需要予以提升。我們希望在談判過程中和公司方面分享我們對這個問題的理解。”（財富中文網）

譯者：Charlie

審稿：Vera Han

Sony Corp SNE 0.18% is likely to cut average pay next year in a rare move for a big Japanese company, and one that goes against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push for higher wages to get the economy moving.

For a second year, Abe is pressuring major companies to raise base pay in the fiscal year from April and boost investment, to kick-start a positive cycle of higher wages, profits and prices to end 15 years of deflation.

Japan’s main union of electronics workers is likely to demand a hike of over 2% in base pay, and companies are widely expected to comply. Most Sony workers, however, don’t belong to the Japanese Electrical Electronic & Information Union, and the company’s average pay of 8.85 million yen ($74,000) is among the industry’s highest.

Sony is going through a painful restructuring after cutting its earnings forecasts six times in two years, and the once-storied electronics maker said earlier this year it will overhaul its salary structure for the first time in a decade, without elaborating on expected changes in pay.

“We are at this time studying various issues as Sony overall is in a difficult situation,” spokeswoman Yo Kikuchi said. “The current human resources system was put in place around 10 years ago, so it was also time for a review.”

Pay cuts are unusual in Japan, especially at big companies with their tradition of jobs-for-life and seniority-based compensation. Employers typically adjust to hard times by trimming bonus and overtime pay and hiring fewer new graduates.

While Japan’s economy is fitfully recovering under ‘Abenomics’, with profits at record highs, Sony remains in a defensive mindset. In September, the company widened its annual net loss forecast to 230 billion yen from 50 billion yen and scrapped its dividend for the first time since going public.

Kikuchi said details of the pay cuts have not been decided, although the overall average is likely to decline. The overhaul will focus on improving meritocracy, meaning employees who do not hold management titles but are in leadership roles may be paid more, while some others could see a cut.

“First and foremost, we’re hoping employees can be paid and graded according to the roles they play. Cost effectiveness should improve as a result,” she said.

Takahiro Nonaka, general secretary of the electronics union, said it has not yet set its official position, but higher pay is crucial for the economy. The union is likely to demand the same 2% rise as Japan’s pace-setting metal workers’ union, which includes carmakers.

“Personal spending, which accounts for around 60% of gross domestic produt, needs to grow,” Nonaka told Reuters. “We want to share that understanding with companies as we negotiate.”