CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Collective
bargaining according to Adeogun (2006) is viewed as a term applied to those
arrangements under which wages and condition of employment are settled by
bargaining in the form of an agreement between employers or association of
employers and workers in an organization, usually labor or trade unions.
Organizational
vitality is the capacity of the organization to continue to survive and develop
in the era of business complexities which results from a continuous and rapid
change within the social system. Conflicts and disputes whether in the form of
open hostility or quiet dissention becomes an inevitable issue that every
organization must strive to curtail. This dispute or conflict is usually a
threat to organizational vitality if not adequately managed or handled even
though conflicts between persons or management and employers could be thought
of as natural events. Nakoji (2001) posited that organization should be very
much aware that such conflicts could cause destruction and industrial crisis or
disharmony in the long-run.
For
example, conflicts or disputes among management and employers (labor) can lead
to one or both parties having their feelings hurt. Thus, leading to issues that
can inherently affect the smooth running of the organization in which they work
or manage.
On the
other hand, conflicts or disputes can serve to enhance the effectiveness of the
organization, since it can safely be assured that conflicts, although ever
present in a social system, but not always as destructive as portrayed.
The
central question among a lot of scholars, human resource managers and of
course, employers of labor is how to, in their own varying capacities and
activities effectively and efficiently manage conflict and its resolution to
ensure that their organization benefit rather than suffer from occasional labor
management clashes.
Admittedly,
organizational conflicts erupt in organization because of the inability of the
employers and his/her employees to work together in peace. This may be as a
result of poor communication gap, non-exclusive decision that affects employees
or lack of in-adequate or good working conditions or incentives and non
existence of union that employees can channel their grievances through. Thus,
collective bargaining as a tool becomes a necessary aid to enhancing a
congenial labour management relationship. This tool allows the parties {two
parties} to meet regularly so as to identify the dissonance that exist between
them with the aim of resolving them amicably so as to prevent industrial
disputes or conflicts.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Theoretically,
it is argued that peaceful labour management relations could be achieved
through the application of collective bargaining Odumo (2004) found that
collective bargaining not only bring the relations between labour and
management in an organization.
Okeke
(2003) posited that some scholars have argued that collective bargaining have
weakens management’s power and pressure within an organization which if fully
effective should preserve the interest of both labor (employees/workers) and
management (employers) that exist within an organization and ensure the harmony
of their individual interests which usually arise due to grievances. A version
of such view as postulated by Okeke (2003) stresses that rigorous engagement in
collective bargaining and too much exclusion in major decision making process
that affect the organization is likely to be comfortable for managers
(employers). These contending views suggest putting aside text-book rationale;
there is concession among theories on the widely acclaimed positive effect of
collective bargaining in achieving peaceful labour management relations.
The
problem this study/research attempts to resolve therefore is to find out which
theoretical position is supported by evidence of researches on collective
bargaining in Hamdala hotel. This would help up to be able to determine whether
the effect of collective bargaining has impact on good employee and employer
relation in Hamdala hotel? If it is, how can it be effectively used so as to
achieve this aim?
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The
objective of this research is to identify factors that cause or may give rise
to industrial conflicts or disputes in an organizations. The specific
objectives are;
i.
To determine necessary solutions to the problems of
industrial conflicts or disputes.
ii.
To establish the effect of collective bargaining in
achieving good labor and management relation specifically in Hamdala hotel.
iii.
To find a lasting solution to the problems that can
hinder the proper use of collective bargaining for achieving industrial harmony
by promoting a peaceful labour and management relation in an organization.
1.4 STATEMENT
OF THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The
necessary hypothesis is stated as follows:
Ho: There
is no significant relationship between collective bargaining and a peaceful
work environment.
Hi: There
exist a significant relationship between collective bargaining and a peaceful
work environment.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This study
is prompted as a result of the concern and will enlighten labour leaders, trade
unions, employee of labor, organization management and government on the role
and dynamics of the effect of collective bargaining.
This study
is particularly significant in that it would provide clues into the perspective
of collective bargaining process, given the opportune time with which this
study is been carried out.
Also, the study
would also help us to find out how collective bargaining can be used to achieve
a harmonious relationship within an organization.
This study
would be significant in that, it would try to present an application of
collective bargaining in Hamdala hotel, identify obstacles and how they can be
eliminated so as to achieve the goal of attaining a peaceful labour management
relations
As a
potential human resource practitioner in the nearest future, there is need for
a thorough understanding on issues boarding on industrial disputes and how it
can be managed.
1.6
SCOPE OF
THE STUDY
This study
is limited to Hamdala Hotel Limited Kaduna. It is stated with the
review of related literature on the subject matter paying particular attention solutions
to the problems of industrial conflicts or disputes, effect of collective
bargaining in achieving good labor and management relation. solution to the
problems that can hinder the proper use of collective bargaining for achieving
industrial harmony by promoting a peaceful labour and management relation in an
organization.
1.7 LIMITATION
OF THE STUDY
This
research works like many others of its and is limited by certain factors. This
limitation comes in the form of in-adequate finance and time. Access to
relevant information from the organization under study was not easy as
employees and top-management of Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna were not too
co-operative.
1.8 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND OF HAMDALA HOTEL
Hamdala
hotel is one of the oldest, if not the oldest in the northern part of Nigeria.
This hotel was established and officially opened for business on the 14th
of January 1961.by the premier of the northern region in person of the late
sir, Ahmadu Bello (the Sardauna of sokoto). Hamdala Hotel was then established
to serve as a hub of tourism by providing an up-to-date hospitality business in
Kaduna and neighbouring towns and cities. The hotel which is presently owned
(wholly by the new Nigeria Development Company) (NNDC) a company owned by the
nineteen northern states. Is a subsidiary company of the NNDC. In view of the
rationalization and organization of the hotel in 2002, personnel management department came up
with a number of inputs to restore employee’s confidence and to quell
un-necessary conflicts and disputes that were hitherto higher with the
following strategies.
The
personnel department which supervises industrial relation issues was retrieved
their scope of affairs broad to encompass regular meetings with employees or
their representatives on vital issues they may arise either from the management
or from employees. Regular negotiations and communication channels where both
parties presented their individual problems or input to resolving disputes in
their initial stages was established. This is not to mention the regular
conduct and organization of seminars, workshops or conferences by the personnel
department to enlighten employees on very important issues that could be their
peaceful relationship with their management. Also, industrial relations were continuously viewed
and appraised and also adapted in line with development and changes in the
socio economic and political environment. Thus, a good and strong mutual
understanding was established by the organization.
This
organization, being a four-star hotel has enough employees to manage a hotel of
its status. Presently about eight (8) top management staff, comprising the
general manager who is the chief executive officer and supported by seven (7)
functional managers all handling key position in the hotel. Also, twenty (20)
middle management staff are on its pay roll, this cadre are those who act as
immediate supporting staff to the top managers to enable them efficiently carry
out their duties. Four hundred and fifty-five (455) inter-meddling and junior
staff are also on the hotel’s employees list, this makes the total staff
strength of hamdala hotel to stand at four hundred and ninety (490).
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
EMPLOYERS:- these are owners or
managers of an organization.
INDUSTRIAL CONFLICT:- crises
or disputes that occurs in an organization due to disagreement.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS:- the
cordial relationship that exist between employers and employees as a result of
a good condition of working terms.
TRADE UNIONS:-
representatives of workers or labour who strive to improve the working
condition and living standard of its members.
EMPLOYEES:- people whose service are
engaged by an organization in exchange for wages or salaries and for the achievement
and upliftment of organization’s set goals and objective.
COMMUNICATION:- the act
of passing message between two or more people through a channel or medium in
order to pass vital information.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:- an act
of coming together by a group of people in order to settle matters of
individual interest among them.