Dislocated Tripartite Relationship in Nigeria’s Industrial Relations

Abstract

This paper examines the dislocated tripartite relationship in Nigeria’s Industrial Relations. It traces the trend and pattern of relationship among the three parties in the industrial relations setup viz Government, Employer and Labour from the early 1970s. Historically, this period provided an important watershed in the growth of the Nigerian economy and the increasing intervention of the state in the capital formation process. In seeking to maintain political control while promoting socio-economic development, the government established a central role in the industrial relations system. In the search for new institutions and techniques to facilitate the management of economic development based on state intervention, tripartitism emerged as a vital instrument for consensus building and for ensuring harmonious relations among labour market partners and the government. Enduring tripartism requires the adoption of an ideology of social partnership and manifests readiness by the government to share its authority and responsibility for the management of the economy.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n10p704