THE IMPACT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ON INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Organizational viability is the capacity of the organization to continue to service and develop in this era of business complexities which result from continuous and rapid changes within the social system, conflicts and dispute, whether in the form of open hostility or quite dissemination becomes inevitable issues that every organization must strive to curtail this pertinent because dispute or conflicts are usually a threat to organizational viability if not adequately managed or handled even though conflicts between persons or management and employees could be thought of as natural events Nakodi A. (2001) posited that organization should be very much aware that such conflicts could cause distrust and industrial crises or disharmony in the long run.

Conflicts or disputes among management and employees (labour) can lead to one or both parties having their feelings hurt, thus leading to issue 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 an organization since it can safely be assumed that conflicts although ever present in a social system, may not always be as destructive as they are portrayed, the central question among a lot of scholar human resources managers and of course employers of labour is how to, in their own varying capacity and abilities effectively and efficiently manage conflicts and its resolution to ensure that their organization benefit rather than suffer from occasional labour management clashes. Admittedly, organizational conflicts does erupt in organization because of the inability of employer and this or her employees to work together in peace. This may be as a result of ineffective communication, non exclusion in decisions that affects employees, or lack of adequate or good working conditions or incentives and non existence of unions that employees can channel their grievance through, thus collective bargaining as a tool allows the parties.  

The two parties to meet regularly so as to identify the dissonance that exist between them amicable so as to prevent industrial dispute or conflicts.

1.2    HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF HAMDALA HOTEL PLC KADUNA

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 then premier of the Northern region in person of 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 neighbouring towns and cities. The hotel which is presently owned by the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), a company owned by the nineteen northern state. It is also managed by Arewa Hotel Limited a subsidiary company of the NNDC.

This 49 years old organization is a 203 rooms hotel that comprises of single suite luxury suites, presidential suite, etc it also has a state of art facilities that makes it a force to reckon with and thus a choice of tourist whenever you are to be in Kaduna for visit or business. The hotel is strategically located within the central business district of Kaduna metropolis. It lies between Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna Gold Course Club and the State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, facilities such as very high capacity banquet hall, restaurant, Olympic size swimming pools, craft shops, bode shops etc and all found within the hotels massive compound.

Staffing / staff strength

Hamdala Hotel has a general manager and other managers there are 25 middle management staff as well as 500 intermediate and junior or members.   

1.3    STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The research work is carried out to look into the problem that leads to collective bargaining concept in Hamdala Hotel. Conflict occurs as a result of one-party not respecting the right of another party. In most cases the welfare of employees are not properly taken care of by the management. To forestall a breakdown of law and the disturbance of peaceful working environment collective bargaining is always used. This means that the two parties in conflicts must come to terms on the issues that is at stake. The questions therefore are: is collective bargaining being made used of both the management and the employees? To what extent is it employed, is it being used and how effective is it?

1.4    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

          The objectives of this research work are as follows:

1. To highlight the benefits to be derived from effective collective bargaining towards organizational development
2. To ascertain why, how and when collective bargaining should be carried out
3. To show current collective bargaining practices have assisted immensely in industrial disputes
4. To provide appropriate recommendation and suggestion for future resolution of industry disputes       

1.5    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1. The study will help individuals, employees and employers a like to know or identify their shortcoming and appropriate measures to be undertaken to find solutions to them.
2. The study will stimulate and consolidate viable policies on government parastatals, independently of any established institution and civil service to enhance their efficiency and development
3. Finally, to provide basic for future research analysis and as well as broaden knowledge and experience

1.6    STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

A hypothesis is a conjectural preposition and informed intelligent guess about the solution to a problem. It is an assumption or position whose veracity and validity is to established.

Ho:   Collective bargaining is not an effective tool for resolving industrial disputes in Hamdala Hotel

Hi:    Collective bargaining is an effective tool for resolving industrial disputes in Hamdala Hotel

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The subject, dispute is a very wide area in industrial relations management and there are many approaches to resolving industrial disputes in organizations. However, the researcher has chosen to limit the research effort to the collective bargaining approach of forestalling and resolving industrial dispute in organization. Also there are many organizations in Kaduna metropolis, the researcher has also limited the investigation to Hamdala Hotel been the premier hotel in the north in general and Kaduna in particularly.

1.8    LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Research work of this nature is bound to be constrained by a number of factors. Prominent among these factors is the reluctance of most staff of the hotel to accepting questionnaires from the researcher inspite of the plea. Those who accepted did not create time to fill the questionnaire and some did filled the questionnaires without much seriousness. However, the researcher was able to retrieve thirty (30) questionnaires which were eventually analzed by the researcher.

1.9    DEFINITION OF TERMS

Below are some terminologies which researcher deems fit to clarify as contents of the study.

Organization: This is coming together of two or more people in order to achieve a set goal and objective.

Conflicts: Conflict can be defined as a competition and fight for control predominantly when resources are scare.

Strike: This is a temporary withdrawal or withholding of labour power with a hope of raising its price by improving the payment of wages and other conditions of employment.

Lockout: This refers to management refusal to allow employees to work.

Management: Management is the efficient and effective way of getting things done through people

Negotiation: Is a communication or discussion to reach agreement between two arties or to resolve their obstacle.

Production: This is the process of transforming resources such as raw materials, labour and capital goods into finished product on services