Perspectives on Strikes, Collective Bargaining and the Quest for Industrial Peace in Nigeria
8 Pages Posted: 8 Nov 2017
Date Written: July 30, 2017
Abstract
Hardly is there a day in Nigeria when there are no news on the pages of newspapers that a labour union or the other is giving ultimatum to the government of its intention to embark on strikes. In fact, strikes have become so rampant in Nigeria that even our courts will be prepared to take judicial notice of them. The strike embarked upon by (ASUU) Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities some time ago, spanning almost six (6) months is a pointer to this fact. Some health workers are also currently on strike and this has affected the operations of most public health institutions in the country. The above observation therefore underscores the urgent consideration of collective agreements as a conflict resolution mechanism in labour matters. This paper therefore considers the issue of collective agreements and contracts of employment under the Nigerian law and the urgent need for reforms. Efforts are made to discuss the legal status of collective agreements and the impact of statutes on collective agreements. The issue of the controversies surrounding the enforceability of collective agreements and the general attitude of the courts are also considered in this work. The article concludes that, if industrial peace and harmony is to be achieved, employers, including the government and all the stakeholders should take collective bargaining and its implementation very seriously. Necessary suggestions and recommendation are also made in this work.
Keywords: Strikes, Collective Bargaining, Collective Agreements, Industrial Peace, Contract of Employment
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation