Abstract
The study examined labour conflict and management in power holding company of Nigeria, Awka business units. The management have often been accused of negligence and insensitivity to the plight of workers and as well do not involve the workers in the decision making which have given rise to conflict between the two parties. The survey research method was adopted for the study and the study relied much on primary and secondary data. Four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The date collected were formulated in frequency tables and analyzed using percentages and the hypotheses were tested using chi-square. The findings from the study showed that the attitudes of the management contributed to conflict that the various activities of the management like the style of leadership, the types of communication and relationship that exist between the two parties are strained. The researcher concluded that these factors are entirely true in the business unit. That the management were the workers are marginalized in decision making and the relationship between them is not cordial. The researcher recommends that continuous maintenance of cordial relationship and workers involvement in decision making will help in conflict resolution.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Approval page ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of contents vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background of the study 1
1.2 Statement of the problem 7
1.3 Objectives of the study 10
1.4 Research questions 11
1.5 Significance of the study 12
1.6 Scope of the study 13
1.7 Limitation of the study 14
1.8 Definition of terms 15
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 18
2.1 Introduction 18
2.2 Definition of labour crisis 19
2.3.1 Management/resolution of industrial/labour conflict 27
2.3.2 Kinds of industrial conflict 30
2.3.3 Causes of industrial/labour conflict 34
2.3.5 Principles of management 35
2.4 Theoretical framework 43
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research design and methodology 45
3.1 Introduction 45
3.2 Research design 45
3.3 Sources/methods of data collection 46
3.4 Population and sample size 47
3.5 Sample technique 48
3.6 Validity and reliability of measuring instruments 49
3.7 Method of data collection 50
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Presentation and analysis of data 51
4.1 Introduction 51
4.2 Presentation of data 51
4.3 Analysis of data 52
4.4 Interpretation of result (s) 66
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 70
5.1 Introduction 70
5.2 Summary of findings 70
5.3 Conclusion 73
5.4 Recommendations 74
References 77
Appendix 79
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Labour conflict is paramount and traceable to the human factor in the search for better wage structure and other conditions of employment and this affects the apparent need to evolve appropriate policies that would ensure management of labour conflict in power holding company of Nigeria. Power holding company of Nigeria is a public utility corporation/enterprise that generates, transmits and distributed light in Nigeria.
This public corporation is established by specific status which contains provisions relating to finance and personnel.
According to Leleye (2002) in Anikezie and Ngwn (2004) public enterprise is an organization that is set up as a corporation body and as part of the governments apparatus for an entrepreneurial or entrepreneurial-like organization that emerged as a result of government acting in the capacity of an enterprise (Asamoleku 1982)
The postulation of Leleye and Asamoluku portrayed that power holding company of Nigeria is an establishment of federal government for the interest of the public.
It is an autonomous body that is either fully or partially owned by government. Although Nigeria power sector is now a privatized company since the middle last tenure of Obasanjo tenure till date. The reason for the privatization of Nigeria power sector which led to the changing of its name from national electric power authority (NEPA) to power holding company in Nigeria (PHCN) were attributed to the following conditions, lack of clear and proper articulated objective unduly interference from the government, poor infrastructure lack of control, lack of autonomy and incompetence. But in all the input measures inserted by the government, not half output has been measured looking at the present service of power holding company of Nigeria. The service cannot commensurate with the required standard of modern society in transmission generation and distribution of electric power to the public as a privatized public corporation. Conflicts are inevitable in any organization setting when workers felt that there is misinterpretation or misapplication or non-application of the term of employment, conflict arose.
Many managerial techniques have been developed to ensure peaceful atmosphere in organizational setting. According to the trade dispute Act, 1976, “any dispute between employers and workers or between workers and workers which is connected with non employment or employment of any person is called trade dispute”. From the foregoing, conflicts often exist in power holding company of Nigeria, especially among management and the staff. This dichotomy between the employers and the employees manifest in several subsidiary terms, quarrel, disputes over wages, disputes over condition of work, violation of agreements, impromptu payment of wages and salaries, at time due to refusal/delayance in promotion strate to the merited staff. This unpeaceful atmosphere in the electric power sector in Nigeria brought the existence of Nigeria union of electricity workers reach consensus on behalf of the workers in order to maintain peaceful atmosphere in the administration of electric power sector as well as cooperation between labour and management, so as to maintain high productivity, services and profit in workplaces. But when this is not in place, workers attitudes towards work becomes prisoned that sometimes it appears they simply mean to throw some missiles without any particular target in mind.
In recent times, the Nigeria electric power sector indulges semi-measures to tackle these problems of labour conflict in power holding company of Nigeria plc. These problem could be managed by establishing collective bargaining enabling the employers to bargain on the term of employment. Also, though conciliation, inquiry, arbitration, mediation, continuous bargaining, industrial court and joint industrial court.
The above methods can be used to manage/solve issues that arise in form of crisis or disputes in power holding company of Nigeria, plc. Power holding company of Nigeria of Awka business unit was created from Enugu zone in the year 1991, covering three (3) local government areas, Awka North, Awka South, Njikoka and parts of Oji local government area Awka business unit comprises of seven service tiers; Central urban, Okpuno, Nibo, Enugu and Abaojana service centers. The total population of management and staff is 181 with the following departments: administration, marketing, distribution, computer, accounting and public relations department
The business units have experienced conflicts since its inceptions and have been handled to ensure peaceful atmosphere for the mutual achievement of organization goals.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Conflicts are inevitable in any organization and it adversely affects smooth industrial relation in Awka business unit to power Holding company of Nigeria.
Notably, its employees grievances in the area of study there was wide spread of employee grievances because of their way the management operates, management high handedness and anti-union activities.
One of the greatest problems that have caused labour conflict in Awka business unit of Power Holding Company of Nigeria is laisser-faire leadership. Most of the leaders exhibited high sense of irresponsibility in discharge of their functions. Most times, the leaders were not sensitive to the plight of staff union, especially on area of negotiation. They were only on how to further their personal ambitions to the detriments of over all goals of the unit, poor working conditions, poor fringe benefits and poor remuneration were common problems that cause labour conflict in the area under study. The business units plagued with poor working environment. Fringe benefits such as leave allowance, leave allowance, hospital allowance, housing allowance pension and gratuities were hardly paid to the workers.
Also, there was problems of consultation in decision making, it gives employs a sense of belonging when his/her quota, suggestion, contribution and input were appreciated. In the area under study, the organization structure do not permit supervisor subordinate relationship rather there is enormous commutation and interaction gap between the subordinate and the consulted in decision making.
Another problem causing conflict was anti-union activities. Power holding company of Nigeria with reference to Awka business unit does not permit activities, such as periodic union staff meetings. Seminar and symposia. This when the right role and activities of trade union were neglected, labour conflict becomes inevitable. There was also the problem of disagreement between the staff union and the management concerning the implementation of the terms of employment. Conflicts often arose when the term of employment were neglected.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general objective of the study is to examine labour conflict and management Awka business unit of Power holding company of Nigeria. However, the specific objectives of the study are;
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