NIGERIA

1. EMERGING ISSUES IN
NIGERIAN INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS

2. Introduction
• A situation of grave concern in Nigeria is
that about sixty percent of all industrial
disputes results in industrial actions This
can be regarded as a failure on the part of
relevant agencies, whose statutory role is
to proffer solution to industrial disputes.

3. • From when Nigeria got independence in 1960 till date, the industrial
system of the country has been characterized by industrial disputes, crises,
and unrest in its entirety. A major feature of the industrial system, be it
public or private, as been one of strikes, lockouts, picketing, sit-downs,
work to rule and demonstrations. This situation has made many to describe
the relationship of organized labour and government agencies as been that
of “cat and mouse”.

4. Conceptual framework
• Industrial Relations according to Fashoyin
(2005) is not restricted to what happens
between management and workers in
public and private enterprises, nor to the
implementation of labour laws and
provision of collective agreements.

5. • Industrial Relations according to Fashoyin
(2005) is not restricted to what happens
between management and workers in
public and private enterprises, nor to the
implementation of labour laws and
provision of collective agreements.

6. Industrial Relations
Industrial relations is therefore concerned with all
types of relationships growing out of employment and
politics of power in work situation. It involves:
 attempts to find solutions to the various problems posed by
the determination of wages and other conditions of
employment.
 human interactions at work place
 collective bargaining
 social dialogue.
Industrial relations is the means by which various interest
involved in the labour market are accommodated, primarily for
the purpose of regulating employment relationships.

7. Parties in IR
System
GOVERNMENT &
ITS AGENCIES
EMPLOYERS
& THEIR
ASSOCIATIONS
LABOUR
Provides the rules and
regulations for the
proper conducts of the
system and the actors
Employees/workers and their
organisations – supply their physical,
mental and other innate abilities in
exchange for wages and other
perquisites
Provides the capital meeting
other obligations in the
organisation

8. Government agencies
• Government Agency refers to all organs
established by government in its efforts to
supervise, control and administer
government policies on industrial relations
in the country.

9. Functions
• Over the years government has set up
several agencies to assist it in the
administration and control of the industrial
relation system and these instruments are
also called government machineries.

10. Federal Ministry of
Employment, Labour
and Productivity
• The Federal Ministry of Employment,
Labour and Productivity which was
established in 1937 by the colonial
authorities and inherited by indigenous
administrations after independence in
1960.

11. • It was established to enforce labour
legislation, advise government on trade
union development. Federal Government
Gazette Notice No 1205 of 1979, states
some of the functions of the ministry as
follows;

12. 1.Condition of Employment
2. Industrial Relations
3. Factory inspection
4. Trade Unions, including registration of Trade Unions
5.Central Labour Organization on cooperative matters
Supervision of the following bodies -

13. (i) Industrial Arbitration Panel
(ii) National Industrial Court
(iii) National Institute for Labour studies
(established in 1987 and located in Ilorin)
• Maintenance of Relations with the
following bodies -

14. (i) Organization of African Trade Union Unity
(ATUU)
(ii) International Labour Organization (ILO)
(iii) Nigeria Labour Congress
(iv) Nigeria Employers Consultative
Association.

15. The National Labour Advisory
Council
• Representations from the states, labour, NECA and permanent secretary of
FMEL&P
• Role is to review labour laws and advice the government.

16. Expected Outcome of an Ideal Industrial System
 Tripartism in Labour policy formulation
 Freedom of Association
 Setting of rules that apply to work
 Setting down minimum wage (and other) wages and terms and conditions
of employment
 Dispute settlement and Resolving issues relating to occupational safety
and health
 Social security and conditions applying to special categories of workers
 Defining the roles and responsibilities of parties individually and
collectively (e.g. through legislation, collective agreement, decisions by
arbitrators and courts, and enterprise work rules)
 Collective bargaining and social dialogue

17. Perspectives on Industrial Relations
The Unitary perspective:
 sees I R as abnormal and
 the work of agitators and traitors
 enterprise corporatism and high level of paternalism are very prevalent
 effort is geared towards de-emphasizing union activities
 provision of generous welfare benefits and remuneration packages for
workers
The pluralist perspective:
 recognizes the inherent differences in interests and values of the
various components of the organization
 Conflict in labour management relations perceived as natural and
inherent
 objectives of each of the actors are not always the same
 advocates for institutions such as trade unions and collective
bargaining as machineries for the constructive resolution of conflict in
industry

18. The Marxist Perspective
 believes that the “agonizing and traumatic experience of the
labour class could be ameliorated
 improvements in working conditions can be achieved only
through the antagonizing role of trade unions
 the ultimate goal would be the displacement or overthrow of
the capitalist mode of production
 subsequent installation of the proletariat leadership
 sees trade unions as revolutionary agents for changing the
social order.

19. Factors Influencing Change in the Nigerian IR System
 Democratization
 Changes in the structure of Nigerian economy
 Liberalization and adoption of market oriented economies
 Accelerated privatisation and liberalisation
 Economic and sectoral reforms
 Mergers and Acquisition
 Oil and Solid mineral sector reform
 Change in organisational structures and management
 The forces of Multinational Corporations (MNCs)

20. Outcomes
• Labour-Management partnering (cooperative VS Adversarial)
• Work-Life balance
• Gender/Physical disability
• Pension/Social Security Reforms
• Brain Drain
• Deregulation of Trade Unionism
• HIV/AIDS at work
• Decent work Agenda
• Social Dialogue/ADR (in the Management of industrial conflict)
• Democracy
• Casualisation

21. Management Models
Industrial relations as well as labour-management relations are shaped to a large
extent by the way enterprises are managed, and when fundamental changes occur in
management they/ it create changes in industrial relations as well.
The management of organisations in most cases premised their operations based on
either the classical scientific management view (best represented by Frederick
Taylor) or the industrial relations view (with Elton Mayo and Douglas McGregor as
exponent).
The Scientific Management School
 viewed the workers as mere cog in the organizational structure
 believes that workers do not possess creative ability and lacking in intelligence
 do not provide for human-oriented management system which provides for sound
industrial relations system
 is devoid of two-way communication, consultation and participatory decision making
 emphasizes high degree of specialization and distinct division of labour
 provides only for a centralized line of authority and close monitoring of workers.
This concept of management can be seen as an ideal breeding ground for an
industrial relations based on conflict rather than on cooperation.

22. The Human Relations School
 Focused on human being as part of the enterprise and sees
workers as biological system rather than a machine
 Emphasizes human relations in work place
 Engendered trust and delegation of authority
 Recognised the potential of people that can be developed to
match organisational goals
 Believes that workers can shoulder responsibility.
The concept emphasized by this school of management
is to a large extent people-focused and the need for
employers to adopt a more flexible means of production
that will incorporate the input of employees. .

23. The centrality of CB to Industrial Relations
GOVERNMENT &
ITS AGENCIES
EMPLOYERS
& THEIR
ASSOCIATIONS
LABOUR
Collective Bargaining
• Interaction
• Participation
• Discussion
• Negotiation
• Collectivity
Collective Bargaining entails “voluntary negotiation between employers or
employers’ organisations and workers’ organisations, with a view to the
regulation of terms and conditions of employment by collective agreements”

24. The centrality of CB
• Standard-setting machinery for determining wages,
salaries and employment conditions
• Guiding principles of labour relations that determines
employment conditions
• Establishes the set of rules guiding relations while
collective agreement is in force
• Provides orderly method of disputes settlement
• It is a machinery through which workers participate in
the decision making process in an organisation

25. Industrial Relations at Enterprise Level
 Greater emphasis of employees involvement
 Harmonious employer – employee relations and mechanisms, and on
practices which promote them (effective communication)
 Organisation flexibility
 Focus on achievement of corporate purpose
 Effective management processes
 Developing workers’ capabilities and broadening their perspectives
 Employment job security and increased employment opportunities
 Raising living standards through improved terms and conditions of
employment
 Productivity improvement which enables employers to be more
competitive
 Conflict resolution through peaceful means

26. Cont’d
 Joint consultation – a voluntary system which is an outcome of
arrangements between parties based on mutual
acceptance of the need to avoid conflict through
strikes or other actions
 Quality of working life programmes – aim at
 combating worker alienation,
 integrating workers and encouraging worker involvement in
enterprise
 Increasing workers’ motivation and instilling sense of responsibility
 Training – educating employees and career development
opportunities

27. Some Current IR Issues
• Labour management cooperation
• Minimum wages
• Flexible/performance related pay
• Dispute prevention
• IR and human resource management training
• Changing pattern of work
• Labour rights/freedom of association
• Transition economies

28. Where poor ir exist
• Strife and strike will ensure to harm parties
economic interest.

29. Conclusion
It is imperative to state that interest accommodation is
central to the practice of industrial relations, because it
engender the methods by which stakeholders in the
system relates together in an attempt to reach
agreement on terms and conditions of employment. It is
the joint participation of actors that will make an
industrial relations system to work effectively.
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