UNDER CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Man in search of livelihood and means
of survival, seek to be employed or gain employment into an organization where
he can earn income to better his living conditions.
Hence, employment then, become a
contractual relationship in which employers want to optimize their profits.
While the employees want higher pay packages as well as good and fair
conditions of service. The relationship is called labour management
relationship.
Note: The relationship
between labour and management is a give and take issue.
According to Ali (2002)
labour-management relationship is always played by conflict and punctuated by
strikes and threat of strikes.
Usually, the antagonistic relationship
between labour and management, result to burning down of factories, destruction
of costly equipment and machines, mass retrenchment, imprisonment of workers.
The fact is that there is no balance
of interest in the relationship that exist between labour and management.
However, their interests can be harmonized to reduce conflict and unnecessary
waste of resources in the workplace which is the major trust of our subject
matter “Industrial Relation”.
MEANING AND DEFINITION OF INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
According to Armstrong (1977),
industrial relations are concerned with formal and informal relationship
existing between employers and trade unions and their members.
Definition:
Industrial Relations is the entire processes involved in formulating,
interpreting and administering of rules, and regulations guiding workplace,
with the purpose of achieving control over the concerned parties in the
community.
(THE SCOPE OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS)
As stated by Yeasty (1982) scope of
Industrial Relations includes: Employment, security, condition of work,
remuneration – levels of the wages and the manners of determination and payment
level of production, labour efficiency as productivity, safety health and
welfare at work, social security including old age and specialists and
practitioners as to which areas of social relations.
In other words, the scope of
industrial relations is all embracing talking about power relationship, power
sharing and other issues which erupt from employment conditions. Ugwu, (2002)
(THE CONTENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS)
According to Armstrong (1977), the
content of Industrial Relations comprises: the Philosophies and pouches of the
major player in the Industrial Relations scene, the government of the day, the
trade union and management.
v A
number of parties, each with different roles. These consist of the state,
management, the trade union industrial managers and supervisors, personnel
managers, shop steward and employees
v The
bargaining structure, recognition and procedural agreements and practices which
have evolved to enable the formal system to operate.
v Policies
and practices for employee involvement and communications.
THE ELEMENT SUBSTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
the 7th Edition, defined Element as the necessary or typical part of
something. While substance is the most important or main part of something.
Therefore, the element/substance of
industrial relation is being refer to the most and typical parts or areas of
industrial relations.
Note: The basis of
industrial relations is the contract of employment.
(According
to ugwu, J.N. 2006)
The substance/elements includes:
(a)
Water/employer industrial demand and
objective
(b)
The operative functions of the personnel
department.
(c)
Industrial Democracy.
(d)
Industrial disputes and settlement
(e)
Collective bargaining and joint consultation.
A.
Worker
– Employee Industrial Demand and Objectives: In the contract of
employment, the demands and objectives of employee varies with that of
employer. While the employee expects better and favourable working conditions
of services. The employer on the other hand expects improved and increased
return in form of higher profit. These objectives is the major reason for
contracting the employment.
B.
The
Operative Function of the Personnel Department: According
to Obikoy (1996), human resources are vital to the generation of all goods and
services. Personnel management is concerned with the recruitment, selection
utilization and development of human resources by and within the organization.
C.
Industrial
Democracy: Is a sino quo non for improved production and mutual
relationship and understanding of the job and workplace environment. A good
system of industrial relations must promote industrial democracy and encourage
employee participation. It would create opportunity for joint planning rather
than bargaining and joint effort towards common goal rather than defensive
efforts for competitive group advantage.
v The
underlining four propositions for joint or worker participation in decision
making at the enterprise level, as stated by Chiplin (1977) are:
(1) It
is a matter of social justice that those who invest their labour and their fate
to a place of work must have share in enforcing the various aspects of its
economic policy.
(2) Joint
or participative decision promotes good industrial relations.
(3) Involvement
of the worker in decision making will improve his commitment and so raise his
productivity.
(4) That
the extension of industrial democracy is expedient in a democratic state.
D.
Industrial
Disputes and Settlement: The subject of trade dispute is
concerned with the terms of employment, the condition of work and the
employment and non-employment of any person. The subject of trade dispute is
concerned with the terms of employment, the conditions of work and the
employment and non-employment of any person.
Note: Trade dispute is
inevitable in the employment relationship.
E.
Collective
Bargaining: International Labour Organization (IOL
1960), defines collective bargaining as a negotiation of working conditions and
terms by the management on one hand and workers representatives on the other
hand with a view of reaching agreement.
Note: A good system of industrial relations
should promote industrial democracy and give the employee fair stand in
negotiation. The terms of employment and conditions of service with management.
(ACTORS IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS)
There are three major actors or
participants in industrial relations. These are:
1. The
employers and their associations.
2. The
employees and their union.
3. The
government and its agents.
1.
The
Employers and their Associations: This relation concerns the
central issue of the survival of the organization in order to achieve the
purpose for which it was established. Management official are committed to
industrial peace.
2.
The
Employees and their Unions: They demand from the employers and
their association, protection of the interest of their members in the form of
securing equitable wages/salaries, job security, safety and health measures
etc.
3.
Government
and its Agencies: They make laws and regulations and putting
in place the appropriate regulatory mechanism for their interaction and
maintenance of industrial peace. They are also seen as middle man, standing in
gap, and striking a balance between two parties by making law and regulation to
guide actions and activities in order to achieve industrial peace and harmony.
(objectives of Industrial Relation)
Is to ensure industrial peace and
harmony, via a mutual and peaceful resolution of the inevitable conflict
arising in the workplace between employee-labour and employer – management
through the instrument of collective bargaining process such as:-
(1)
To ensure that industrial peace reigns in
order to assist both parties to achieve their objectives.
(2)
To promote the practice of democratic
principles which make workers to participate in the formulation of rules which
govern the relationship between the two parties.
(3)
To prevent and settle trade dispute between
employers and trade unions
(4)
To advise the firm or the government on
industrial relations problems
(5)
To make work enjoyable and also produce gains
for the entire economy.
THE PRINCIPLES OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
(i)
Mutual trust and respect for one another
(ii)
Honesty in dealings with each other
(iii)
Effective communication
(iv)
Consistency in contract interpretation
(v)
Time resolution of grievance
(vi)
Both parties must co-operate.
(i)
Mutual
Trust and Respect for one Another: For relationship to exist
between labour and management, there must be confidence and treat each other
with dignity.
(ii)
Honesty
in Dealings with each Other: A party must not take
advantage of the other’s ignorance to exploit, to its own advantage
(iii)
Effective
Communication: Labour and management must communicate with
an open mind and without fear of reprisal.
(iv)
Consistency
in Contract Interpretation: The terms and condition of employment
must be applied uniformly in every section of the organization without fear or
favour.
(v)
Time
Resolution of Grievances: Disputes should be settled and deposed
off as soon as it comes. It shall not be allowed for long period of time as it
can degenerate.
(vi)
Both
Parties Must Co-operate: For them to achieve their objective
both must co-operate and live according to the spirit of the contract in their
day to day dealings.
MODELS OF LABOUR – MANAGEMENT RELATIONS
This relations varies from country to
country.
Note: Three model of
labour relations are:
1. British
Model
2. Japanese
Model
3. Nigerian
Experience
1.
The
British Model: The British labour management relations
model epitomizes what is generally refers to as the Anglogaxon model. It
revolved during the period when the philosophy of laissez-Faire was the basis
of all economic affairs in Britain.
2.
Japanese
Model: Japan has enjoyed a remarkable economic growth in the
last decade. The fact has led to an increasing attention and interest being
given to the nature of Japanese society. However not to suggest that the system
is devoid of conflict between labour and management.
Difference Between Industrial Relations
Labour, Management Relations and Personnel Management.
Labour management relations according
to Akpolu (1984) is an aspect of industrial Relations where the interactions of
labour and management for employment regulations of making job rules, setting
job values and for determining condition of employment generally.
ü While
industrial relations are the inter woven activities of trade unions, employers
and state. The actors in industrial relations are the trade unions, employers
and state.
ü Personnel
Management on the other hand is the organizations most vital function, which is
concerned with the development of people within an organization and adopted
with the changing circumstances or condition.
CHAPTER TWO
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS IN NIGERIA
Akpala (1982) defined industrial
relations as any employment situations by the employer management or other
organizations the working organization and a third party, private and
government acting as an umpire or a controller, the purpose of which is just
decision making for establishing job rules and job values for co-operation of
man power resources for the trade union and of course the state. Industrial
relations is the regulation of employment relations by workers or labour union,
the employers or management or their representatives against and the government
or its agencies upon the purpose of which is the establishment of job rules
which specifies the rights, duties and responsibility of each other, mechanism
for resolving conflicting interest and rules to govern the work place (trade
union).
Industrial relations, trade union
involvement and development before the 1800s in Nigeria. Then system of
production was purely traditional and payment for labour service were in kind
as the issue of monetary payment was not popular because there was no
employment of labour to fight for the interest of workers except for that food
and shelter were provided for the dependents by the head of the family unit for
satisfaction of the basic needs of the family units for satisfaction of the
basic needs of his nuclear and extended family units, so, labour management to
talk of industrial relation system.
THE GROWTH OF TRADE UNION
In 1938, the trade union ordinary was
passed but become effective in 1939. The ordinance gave the trade union
ordinance resulted in increase in trade union organization and activities. This
trade union ordinance of 1938 gave working definition of trade union which was
any combination whether temporary and permanent, the principal purpose of the
relations between workers and master. The ordinance further defined workman as
all persons employed in a trade or industry whether or not in employment of the
employer with whom a trade dispute arises.
As at 1940, there were about 19
registered union with a total membership of 1944 all union with a total of
152,230 members 1959 numbers rose to 280 union and membership of 250,000. This
increase continued between 1975 and 1995 it increased to 920 union with just
below a million members.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC)
Trade union leaders saw the need for a
control trade union movement with the area of welding together all the trade
union in the country and to speak on labour.
Matters with one voice. This led to
the formation of trade union congress. The main aims and objective of these
are.
1. To
unite all trade unions into one organized body
2. To
deal with the general labour problems affecting workers in the whole country
3. To
protect the legal status rights of trade unions
CHAPTER THREE
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