BSM 431 CA 2

Q1. Differentiate among Industrial relations, Labour relations, and Employee relations.

Q2. In the evolution of Industrial relations in Nigeria, choose any of the following and explain what
happened during that period:

(a). Industrial relations in the Colonial period

Q3. Explain any five (5) context of Industrial relations.

SOLUTION

Differentiate among Industrial relations, Labour relations, and Employee relations.

INTRODUCTION

What is Industrial Relations?

The term industrial relations comprises two words, i.e. ‘industry’ and ‘relations’. The term ‘industry’
refers to any productive activity in the organisation in which the employees are engaged. On the other
hand, the term ‘relations’ refers to the relationship, which exists within the industry between the
management and the employees. The relationship between management and employees within the
organisation within the organisational settings is defined by industrial relations. Industrial relations
emerge directly or indirectly from management-trade union relationships.

Industrial relations imply the relation between both employer and employees during the period of
employment in an industrial organisation. However, the concept of industrial relations has a broader
meaning. In a broader sense, the term industrial relations refers to the relation between various unions,
state and union, and between employers and government. Relations of all those associated with the
industry may be known as industrial relations.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), industrial relations deals with relationships
between either state and employers and workers organisations or the relationship between the
occupation organisation themselves.

What is Labor Relation?

Many industries cannot effectively function without labor relations. Labor relations is defined as the
relationship between various labor representatives and management. Labor relations significantly
promote collective bargaining and regulate trade unions' rights over organizations and industries.
Collective bargaining involves the process of negotiation that happens between an employer and a
union.

What is Employee Relations?

Employee relations is a term that refers to the ways that a company treats its employees and how those
employees interact with their company. Understanding how to create a functional relationship between
bosses and employees is one of the fundamental things that a company has to be able to do.Employee
relations also refer to the relationship shared among the employees in an organization. The employees
must be comfortable with each other for a healthy environment at work. It is the prime duty of the
superiors and team leaders to discourage conflicts in the team and encourage a healthy relationship
among employees.

Distinguish between industrial relations, labor relations and employee relations

Scope:Industriail relations is a comprehensive study and management of employer-employee

relationships, including collective bargaining, labor laws, and dispute resolution.while labor relations
specifically focused on the relationships between employers and labor unions, involving negotiating and
administering collective bargaining agreements, handling grievances and disputes.While employee
relations concentrates on relationships between employers and individual employees or groups of
employees, encompassing managing employee interactions, addressing concerns and grievances, and
promoting a positive work environment.

Focus:Industrial relations is broad and comprehensive,it involving all aspects of the employment
relationship.While labor relations primarily deals with the unionized workforce and collective bargaining
agreement and employee relations focuses on individual employee interactions, concerns, and
grievances.

Legal Framework:Industrial relations includes compliance with labor laws and regulations, collective
bargaining laws, and labor standards.While labor relations is primarily governed by labor laws and
regulations regarding union activities, collective bargaining, and strike laws.While is primarily concerned
with employment laws, anti-discrimination laws, and workplace policies.

Representation:Industry relations involves representation from management, labor unions, and possibly
government agencies.while labor relations typically involves representation from labor unions,
management, legal counsel, and sometimes government agencies and employee relations generally
involves representation from human resources, management, and employee representatives.

Conflict Resolution: Industrial relations deals with resolving conflicts at both individual and collective
levels, including union-management disputes.While labor relations is primarily focused on resolving
collective bargaining disputes, grievances, and labor strikes and employee relations emphasizes on
resolving individual grievance, workplace conflicts, and maintaining a positive work environment.
Industrial relations in the Colonial period

Introduction

The history of industrial relations in Nigeria can be traced back to the colonial or even the pre-colonial
era, when formal and semi-formal relationships where established with the British in particular and the
Europeans in general. Such relationships led to the introduction of wage employment in a formal
industrial setting. At the Berlin conference of 1884-1885, the British succeeded in formalizing its claims
to the Nigeria Basin and the activities of some private entrepreneurs were brought under control of the
Royal Niger Company headed by Sir Taubman George Goldie (Ubeku, 1993:37). Meanwhile one
administrative or political action of the British led to another, and eventually led to the amalgamation of
the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914 to form Nigeria. This new country was led by Lord
Lugard, a British colonial administrator. As the country advanced both in age and development, the
British colonial masters carried out a number of reforms in the labour sector, which created the legal
frameworks for industrial relations in the country. Therefore by 1960, when Nigeria gained political
independence from Britain which constituted industrial relations was largely derived or from the Anglo-
Saxon model of industrial relations. These developments in the labour sector were no doubt without the
activities of the nationalist and labour agitators at the time.

During the colonial period, the industrial relations system in Nigeria was shaped by the economic and
social structures introduced by the British colonial administration. This era was characterized by the
exploitation of labor in the agricultural and extractive industries, with labor policies primarily serving the
interests of the colonial powers. The Nigerian workforce faced poor working conditions, low wages, and
limited opportunities for skilled labor.

According to Okafor (2000), the colonial authorities implemented oppressive labor laws and policies that
favored the colonial enterprise, resulting in severe exploitation of the local workforce. The plantations
and mines operated under a coercive labor regime, with little regard for the welfare and rights of the
labor force. Additionally, trade union activities were restricted, and labor unrest was often met with
forceful suppression by the colonial authories.

Falola & Genova (2008) point out that labor relations during the colonial era were characterized by a
lack of representation for workers, with little to no provision for collective bargaining or mechanisms to
address labor grievances. The colonial legacy significantly influenced the patterns of industrial relations
in Nigeria, setting the stage for subsequent developments in labor relations and the struggle for
workers' rights and better working conditions after independence.

During the colonial period in Nigeria, industrial relations were shaped by the economic and social
structures introduced by the colonial powers, predominantly the British. The industrial relations
framework in Nigeria during this era was characterized by several key features:
1. Labor Structure: The colonial administration established an agricultural-based economy, which heavily
relied on the extraction of raw materials such as cocoa, palm oil, groundnuts, and rubber for export. This
led to the exploitation of the labor force in plantations and mines, contributing to significant tensions
and conflicts in the workplace.

2. Colonial Labor Policies: The colonial government implemented labor laws and policies that primarily
served the interests of the colonial powers and the emerging industries. These policies often
disregarded the welfare and rights of the local workforce, leading to poor working conditions, low
wages, and limited opportunities for skilled labor.

3. Labor Unions: During the colonial era, labor unions were nascent and faced considerable repression
from the colonial authorities. The limited emergence of unions, such as the Nigerian Union of Teachers
and the Nigerian Railway Workers' Union, reflected early efforts to organize and advocate for improved
working conditions and labor rights.

4. Collective Bargaining: Collective bargaining and formalized industrial relations mechanisms were
virtually non-existent during this period. The management of employer-employee relationships was
largely authoritarian, with little input from workers in determining their terms of employment.

5. Colonial Legacy: The colonial legacy significantly influenced the patterns of industrial relations that
persisted after independence. The labor structures and policies put in place during the colonial period
continued to shape the nature of industrial relations and labor management practices in Nigeria.

Overall, industrial relations during the colonial period in Nigeria were characterized by a lack of worker
representation, poor working conditions, and exploitative labor practices. The legacy of this era laid the
groundwork for the subsequent evolution of industrial relations in Nigeria, as the country moved
towards independence and sought to forge its own path in labor relaperiod

In summary, the industrial relations system during the colonial period in Nigeria was marked by
exploitative labor practices, oppressive labor laws, and limited opportunities for worker representation
and collective bargaining. The legacy of this period had a lasting impact on the evolution of industrial
relations in Nigeria, laying the groundwork for the labor movement and efforts to address the
oppressive industrial relations practices inherited from the colonial era.

References:

1. Okafor, U. O. (2000). Colonialism and Colonial Policies in Nigeria. West African Journal of Industrial &
Labour Studies, 5(2), 96-98.
2. Falola, T., & Genova, A. (2008). The Politics of the Wooing Game: The Colonial Experience in Nigeria.
History in Africa, 35, 167-185.