Trade Unions under the Military in Nigeria: 1966-1999

Abstract

The objective of this contribution is to examine the circumstances surrounding the survival of the trappings of the military’s dictatorial characteristics and behaviour in the Nigerian industrial relations scene nearly one decade after the country’s return to elected government on May 29, 1999. It is observed that that in that period, military trade union policy and practices were characterized by partisanship among the contenders. It was marked by state sympathy for, collaboration with, and strengthening of the relative bargaining power of capital, on one hand, and alienation and weakening of the power of organized labour, on the other. This scenario is attributed to four factors: the continued domination of elective and appointive public positions by ex-military officers; concentration of exceptional powers to dictate terms and conditions of employment in the hands of state officials and private capitalists; institutionalization by the state of liberal economic reforms that reduced the size and strength of organized labour through massive retrenchments of workers and wage freeze; and enactment of draconian labour and trade union laws. Alienation of labour fuelled industrial conflict as a result of the undulating playing field for organized labour introduced by uneven state policies. The instrument of deductive analysis of the historical dynamics of Nigerian industrial relations policy, trade union laws, and trade dispute settlement procedures was adopted. It was deduced that the persistence and deterioration of the state industrial conflict is inescapable in a circumstance where dictatorial trade unions laws and practices constitute the fundamental basis of administration of industrial relations under a democratically elected government. In conclusion, the areas in which legislative and policy reforms are considered inevitable to bring industrial relations practice in Nigeria in conformity with democratic norms are indicated.