Industrial Relations and Labour Management and Productivity: The Imperative for Sustainable Development in Nigeria

Abstract:

Industrial relations and Labour management and productivity have its roots in the industrial revolution which created the modern labour relationship by spawning large-scale industrial organizations. As society wrestled with these massive economic and social changes, labour problems arouse coupled with societal reconstruction challenges. Premised on this background, this paper is set to discuss the conceptual meaning of labour and industrial relations, assess the roles and prospects of labour in Nigeria, examine the consequential effects of labour-industrial relations and examine challenges of labour productivity and management in Nigeria. The paper also discusses some framework for labour-industrial relations. This paper focuses attention on the changing structure of labour environment and the rise of precarious working conditions orchestrated by various unrests and acrimonies from nonchalant attitudes and behaviour of government and private sectors towards labour/workers welfare and patronage. The data for this study were collected through secondary sources. The secondary data were retrieved from textbooks, journals, newspapers, internet materials and literatures from academic journals in relation to the subject studied. The study adopted Industrial Relations Theory as a theoretical framework. The paper concludes that Labour and Industrial relations is one of the critical factors and tools in advancing industrial productivity and attaining sustainable development in Nigeria.