A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE KEY CHALLENGES OF TRADE UNIONISM IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-196
Author(s):  
Ugo C. Okolie ◽  
Sebastian Akbefe
Keyword(s):  
Trade Unions ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Marxist Theory ◽  
Critical Study ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Economic Climate ◽  
Fourth Republic ◽  
Liberal Democratic Society

Trade unions are basically an integral part of liberal democratic society. They are an im-portant part of the fabric of the Nigerian society, providing social, economic, political and psychological benefits for their members as well as the platform for participation in mana-gerial functions in government and work industry. It is worrisome that in recent times, trade unions in Nigeria are witnessing serious challenges that tend to militate against their performance. This paper therefore examines the challenges in Nigeria’ fourth republic, using the Marxist theory of class conflicts as theoretical framework of analysis. A qualita-tive research method was adopted and was content analyzed in relation to the scope of the paper. The paper observes that lack of committed leadership, lack of internal democracy, government intervention, tribalism and nepotism, internal factionalism, apathetic attitude, poor economic climate and non-affiliation with foreign union are the major challenges that trade unions in Nigeria currently face. The paper recommends among others that trade unions should imbibe the tenets of democracy in their internal administration.

The Politics of Proletarianization: A Review Article

1979 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-230
Author(s):  
Michael Hanagan
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Working Class ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Labor History ◽  
Review Article ◽  
The Political ◽  
Regional Studies ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Working Class History ◽  
Political Conditions

The process of proletarianization and its role in the shaping of working class consciousness has captured the attention of French social historians over the last ten years. Until recently, works on French labor history generally neglected the formation of the working class to concentrate on the origins of national working-class parties or trade unions; thus, general histories of the political ‘workers’ movement' abound, to the detriment of occupational or regional studies. As early as 1971, Rolande Trempé's thèse asserted that the transition from godfearing peasant to socialistic proletarian had only just begun when a man put down his hoe and took up a pickaxe. In Les mineurs de Carmaux, Trempé showed the evolving social and political conditions which led coalminers in southwestern France to espouse trade unionism and socialism. The recently published thése of Yves Lequin, Les ouvriers de la region lyonnaise, provides another benchmark in the study of nineteenth-century working class history. Lequin reveals that, for the pre-1914 period in the Lyonnais region of France, the dynamics of proletarianization were more important in promoting worker militancy than its end result, the appearance of an industrial proletariat.

Globalisation and the dilemmas of international trade unionism

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Trade Union Movement ◽  
Labour Movement ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Union Movement ◽  
Economic Developments

This article presents the author's reflections on the possibilities of a restructuring of the international trade union movement, on the basis of a collective research project to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) which seeks to open a debate within the movement over the lessons to be learned from its history as a guide for its future action. The most important question facing the trade union movement today is what is generally called 'globalisation', a phenomenon that goes back many years, both in terms of economic developments and labour struggles. From this perspective, the paper examines the basis for the existing divisions of the international labour movement, before going over the work of the ICFTU and of the International Trade Secretariats (ITSs) to achieve the regulation of the multinational corporations and of the international economy, and concluding on the prospects for unity of action in the unions' work around the global economy.

scholarly journals How to beat the boss: Game Workers Unite in Britain

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Woodcock
Keyword(s):  
Great Britain ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
International Network ◽  
Trade Unionism

This article provides an overview of the growth of game worker organising in Britain. These workers have not previously been organised in a trade union, but over the last 2 years, they have developed a campaign to unionise their sector and launched a legal trade union branch. This is a powerful example of so-called ‘greenfield’ organising, beyond the reach of existing trade unions and with workers who have not previously been members. The article provides an outline of the industry, the launch of the Game Workers Unite international network, the growth of the division in Britain as well as their formation as a branch of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain. The aim is to draw out lessons for both the videogames industry, as well as other non-unionised industries, showing how the traditions of trade unionism can be translated and developed in new contexts.

British Trade Unions and European Union Integration in the 1990s: Politics versus Political Economy

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Strange
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Political Economy ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Economic And Monetary Union ◽  
Trade Union Movement ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Union Movement ◽  
British Trade ◽  
Careful Assessment

This article evaluates the changing assessments within the British trade union movement of the efficacy of European Union integration from the viewpoint of labour interests. It argues that there has been a marked further ‘Europeanisation’ of British trade unionism during the 1990s, consolidating an on-going process which previous research shows began in earnest in the mid 1980s. A shift in trade union economic policy assessments has seen the decisive abandonment of the previously dominant ‘naive’ or national Keynesianism. While there remain important differences in economic perspective between unions, these are not such as would create significant divisions over the question of European integration per se, the net benefits of which are now generally, though perhaps not universally, accepted. The absence of fundamental divisions is evident from a careful assessment of the debates about economic and monetary union at TUC Congress. The Europeanisation of British trade unionism needs to be seen within the context of an emergent regionalism, in Europe and elsewhere. It can best be understood as a rational response by an important corporate actor (albeit one whose national influence has been considerably diminished in recent decades) to globalisation and a significantly changing political economy environment.

scholarly journals Brazilian Trade Unions

2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Lang ◽  
Mona-Josée Gagnon
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Union Leader ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Heavy Body ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Labour Legislation

Many analysts of Brazilian industrial relations share a determinist vision of the country’s trade unionism, according to which the unions maintain a paradoxical yet atavistic relationship with the heavy body of laws that provide them with advantages while limiting their freedom. We tested this vision by conducting field enquiries into the daily activities of two Brazilian unions: the ABC Metalworkers Union and the Seamstress Union for the Sao Paulo and Osasco Region. In this article, we present the results of our case studies and what they reveal about Brazilian trade unionism’s relationship with the labour legislation. We also briefly discuss former trade union leader and current President Lula’s recent attempts to reform the country’s labour relations system.

Book Reviews

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-131
Keyword(s):  
Trade Unions ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
London School ◽  
University Of Minnesota ◽  
Senior Lecturer ◽  
Birkbeck College ◽  
Social Partnership ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
London School Of Economics

John W. Budd of the Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies, University of Minnesota reviews “Trade Unions in Western Europe: Hard Times, Hard Choices”, by Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick and Richard Hyman. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores the challenges facing trade unions and their responses in ten west European countries—Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy. Discusses varieties of industrial relations and trade unionism; challenges and responses; renewing power resources—recruitment, representation, and mobilization; restructuring trade unionism—mergers and organizational redesign; bargaining in adversity—decentralization, social partnership, and the crisis; unions and politics—parties, alliances, and the battle of ideas; beyond national boundaries—unions, Europe, and the world; and reconciling strategy and democracy. Gumbrell-McCormick is Senior Lecturer in Management at Birkbeck College, University of London. Hyman is Emeritus Professor of Industrial Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science.”

Impact of Trade Unions on Productivity: A Study of the Indian Chemical Industry

1989 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramjas
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Chemical Industry ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Indian Context ◽  
Increase Productivity ◽  
Managerial Response

In this article, Ramjas analyses the extent to which trade unions affect productivity in the Indian context. Based on an analysis of data (1960-1980) from the Indian chemical industry, the author finds that trade unionism brings down productivity. He suggests that the potential of trade unions to increase productivity has not been fully exploited owing to factors such as managerial response to unionism, working conditions, wages of workers, and the socio-political climate in the country.

Long-Run Structural Change in Australian Trade Unionism

1981 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afalcolm Rimmer
Keyword(s):  
Structural Change ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
New South ◽  
Regional Differentiation ◽  
Structural Pattern ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Workforce Composition ◽  
Union Structure

Although the leading features of Australian trade union structure have been subject to widespread criticism, few attempts have been made to explain how they came into existence and how they are sustained. In this article existing theories of Australian union structure are reviewed, and it is concluded that these theories are most suitable to an explanation of the stable features of unionism. The article proceeds to examine those factors which initially estab lished the key features of the union structural pattern, emphasising occu pational and regional differentiation in particular. Data on New South Wales- registered trade unions is then examined to establish the character and scale of structural change in the period from 1920 to 1970. Evidence that the growing complexity of white-collar unionism balances increasing concentration among blue-collar unions suggests that changes in workforce composition have a substantial influence upon union structure in the long run. It is concluded that explanations of Australian union structure should be addressed to the areas of change that may be detected rather than towards assumptions of stability. In addition, it is suggested that explanations that rely on legal factors should be balanced by a consideration of economic and political trends.

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