Management Of Employee Grievances In Nigerian Public Corporation (a Case Study Of Nigeria Railway Corporation Bauchi State)

ABSTRACT

This research investigation is about the management of employee grievances in the public corporations. However, this project focused on the management of employee grievances in Nigeria Railways Corporation, Bauchi State. The statement of the problem in this research is to investigate how employee’s needs arise in such organization and the consequence that emerge when these needs are not satisfied. It is assumed that when employee’s needs are not satisfied, grievances emerge and this situation in turn affects job satisfaction, production and service delivery therefore, this study falls under organizational behaviour. Research questions were formulated to guide the major activities of this project in terms of methodology. This study is descriptive and explanatory. Survey methods have been used to generate data for analysis. The major findings of this research reveals that the most significant source of employee’s grievances in Nigeria railway corporation is non implementation of contract of employment and new standard of rules and regulations are setup without due consultation with the employees. Among others, the employees salaries are inadequate. Based on these findings, it is now recommended that there is need to bridge the communication gap between the management and the employees. One of the major way of doing this is to avoid alteration in the employment contract without due consultation with the employees. Besides, employees should be properly motivated with adequate incentives packages and salaries. Conclusively therefore, employees should in the other hand put in their best in actualization the aims and objectives of Nigeria railway corporation. This is the shared understanding which will ensure relative industrial peace in Nigerian Public Corporations.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1      INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Management of employee grievances originated because of the problem that is associated with labour and management. Such problems are not having a bilateral process of grievance procedure led to bias and unfair treatment of the employees by the management. Again there is no consideration to protect the employee from discriminatory treatment by the management. Management treat employee unfairly without considering the conditions of their work.

However, with the end of the political crisis in 1970, organized labour was once again released from the dilemma of whether or not to forgo industrial actions in the interest of national serenity. With the civil war over labour stiffened its demands for improved wage structure and other conditions of work and employment throughout the country workers protest as a result of the realization of the poor economic status of the working class ultimately led to the establishment Adebo and Udoji commissions. The strikes that occurred during the civil war and after these commissions awards, marked the beginning of greater industrial crisis since the end of the civil war.

This period also marked the beginning of the revolutionary measures taken by the government in the settlement of trade disputes.

It is also of utmost importance at this juncture to mention the efforts of the Adam Oshomole’s led Nigerian Labour Congress (N.L.C) in the agitation for better work environment and improved minimum wage for the Nigerian workers. The N.L.C during this period also made great effort in resisting some government policies, for example increment in the pump prices of petroleum product and value added tax (V.A.T) which were detrimental to the standard of living of the Nigerian worker. The N.L.C. also during this period resisted the extensive use of casual labour by private enterprises, insisting on the permanent of at least 80% of these employees under casual labour.

At the formative stage of labour union, suspicion and skepticism may characterize management relations with labour and vice versa. This view is strengthened when one considers the unions belief that the organization with it’s enormous power and wealth is constantly seeking to surprise the labour union. Management on the other hand beliefs that the unions is poking it’s nose into it’s business there by making relations between the parties at the initial stage resemblance of that of cat and rat.

A cursory review of the nature of labour and management relations in contemporary Nigeria will no doubt be the conclusion that a significant proportion of employees and workers still reject the idea that on one hand, the two sides are engaged in a partnership and on the other hand the absence of an effective industrial relations leads to disorder which may result to strike and subsequently to lose of manpower and productivity. Operations will come to a halt and there will be a serious economic repercussion. This exactly why industrial relations is of utmost importance. How a lasting industrial peace can be achieved and maintained still remain a mirage. Hence, this study on management of industrial grievance, the reason being how to find a lasting peace to labour and management problems.

The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) came into being in Nigeria during the colonial era. It was one of the British strategies of exploitation of Nigeria resources, therefore it was given priority by the British government it is of more benefit. It was used to transport each crops like cocoa, palm oil, groundnut and other raw materials from the rural areas to the urban cities for onward exportation to Britain. Bauchi state which is one of the Northern Central States in the Northern of Nigeria is known due to her high capacity in agricultural products and other natural resources. They are one of the beneficiaries of the rail lines constructed in cities of Nigeria before 1919 by the British colonial masters. The corporation has staff strength of about 1,500 workers. The organization has high level of bureaucracy which is strictly adhered to and the workforce is arranged in a hierarchical order which enhances efficiency, order and instructions, but delays the fast movement of work.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

This research tried to x – ray the factors, which influence employee grievance in Nigeria Railway Corporation Bauchi, with a view to finding the root causes of the grievances.

However, it could be said that these grievances stem from such factor as: -

a.          The complain of inadequate salaries by the employees of Nigeria Railway Corporation, Bauchi.

b.          The unconducive working environment for the employees of Nigeria Railway Corporation, Bauchi.

c.           The short supply of motivational strategies by the management of Nigeria Railway Corporation to detriment of it’s employees.

The consequences of these complaints when they are not taken care of by the management is that job performances are adversely affected, state the fact that job satisfaction has a direct influence on employee performance and this may rise to employees grievance.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study was to ascertain the relevant issues bothering management of employee grievances in Nigeria Railway Corporation, Bauchi.

Specifically, the study is aimed at finding all the following: -

a.          To ascertain the major factors that give rise to employee grievances in corporations.

b.          To know exactly the measure used by the employees in expressing their grievances and to know the effect of its to the corporation.

c.           To know the consequences of employee grievances towards achieving the goals of the corporation.

To ascertain the strategic methods in handling employee grievances and preventing it’s further occurrence in the corporation.

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