THE EFFECT OF STRIKE ON TEACHERS' PRODUCTIVITY

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

Strike actions are inevitable in any trade union, and have to be expected and observed by an employer on employees.

As strike exists, proper and adequate measure should be taken without delay so as to avoid serious problems. Also perpetual dialogue should be places side by side with the continuous strike. Workers union used strike as sanctions or weapon to achieve their set targets. Most of these especially delay on the part of the people at the hand their inability to let the workers know the state of things.

Nevertheless, strike action destabilized the organization, and at the same time make the management wake-up to their responsibilities and put things right where they have done wrongly over the years. It is equally a type of lesson to management, which make them to realize their lapses towards the areas that should both be allowed to deteriorate before they are handled.

In the actual display, strike can be devastating (causing a lot of damages and destruction) as it can crippled a trade union and bring everything to a stand strike.

Infact, strikes are not good for organization, simple because of the negative consequences. The use of strike is acceptably to the extent that it properly used far the furtherance of legitimate social objectives. According to Yusuf (1977) “strike is a manifestation of industrial conflict which may be instigate by makes demand for improvement in the wages structure and other terms and condition of employment”

However, since 1970, even till this contemporary era, workers demand are increasing and could not be satisfied with the ugly faces and economic recession in which the employees force the management to access their demands.

Thus, according to trade disputes decree, 1976, Strike is defined as a cessation of work by body of persons employed acting in combination, on a concrete refusal under common understanding of any number of persons employed to continue to work for an employee on consequence of dispute done as a means of compelling their employee is any persons or body of persons accept or no to accept the terms employment.

This decree equally defined cessation of working deliberately at lesser than usually speed or with less than usual efficiency.

Obviously, in the business time of Monday April, 13, 1980, it was recorded that Nigeria lost 230 working days through strike in the year 1980 alone. Meanwhile, there was also the first, general strike led by Chief Michael Imodu that lasted for 45 days and contributed to the encouragement in the formation of trade unions.

Another was the Nigeria labour congress strike of January, 2000. When the government disagreed with the civil servant wages and allowances. Thirty one (31) working days were lost. This led to trade and industrial unrest, and it happened as a result of lack of adequate attention of human factors in the organization. In order to render help and show kindness to humanity, government had to upgrade the salaries in a bid to resolve the conflict between the government and it workers respectively.

Early last years 2010, it appeared that the Nigerian union of Teachers Abia state chapter embarked on strike which lasted for 32 working days.

However, this work will focus mainly on the conception, types of strike mechanism for the management of strike; as well as the effect of strikes in organization. In this study also, the researcher is going to examine the concepts, functions and constraints or problems.

1.2 Statement Of Problems

There have been an unfair and unstable industrial relations atmosphere where affects seriously the smooth running of teachers union in the attempt to achieve their aims. This is because it is associated with problems which are entirely avoid to the determination of improved trade unionism as it concerns the Nigerian union of teachers (NUT).

In addition, the perception of the concept of strike and lockout in organizations are confusing the researchers.

According to Labour union in Nigeria (1995), “Lockout means the closing down of the organization by the employers or locking out workers to prevent them from entering into the working environment, this may be as result of go-slow strike, work-to-rule strike, sit-down strike” etc.

In contracts, strike as earlier stated according to trade disputes decree, 1976, simply means. The cessation of work by a body of persons employed acting in combination, or a concerted refusal under a common understanding of any number of persons employed to work for an employer in consequence of dispute or body of persons employed to accept or to do not accept the terms and condition of work.

Sometimes, there had been a problem and the application of the principle of no-work, no-pay. This implies that workers should not be paid. It was according to the constitution of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) 1976, the principle of no-work-no-pay should be implied in all case where workers withhold their labour as a result of strike action. This creates problem worthy of study in which insufficient attention has been given to it by the contemporary writers and scholars.

Therefore, the alarming rate of strike occurrence is a persistent problem confronting teachers union in Nigeria. As a result of set-back in teachers productivity, which enable the researcher to outline the major factor that caused the problems of strike action in Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT). The following are:

• Highly under paid
• Grossly under valued
• Lack educational incentive
• Political instability
• Uncorporated policy

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

This work attempts to examine the effects of strike action as an approach adopted in achieving teachers’ productivity from the management. The researcher centers the case study, on Nigerian Union of Teachers, Abia state chapter. Other objectives are the following:

1. It will focus attention on the essence of strikes action that exists in teachers union.
2. This work will help management of every union to realize their lapses and wake-up to their responsibilities so as to put things right where have gone wrong for the betterment of the union.
3. It will highlight the various respective objectives and functions which need to enhance teachers productivity, as well as its problems.
4. The recommendation, which will base mainly on the finding of the research, will enable positive effectiveness of strike action as a means of achieving union aims.
5. Finally, this work will enable the researcher to find out positive strategies that will helps in handling teachers strike.

1.4 Research Question

The following research question are asked in order to arrive at relevant conclusion.

1. To what extent has strike affected on teachers productivity?
2. What factors determine strikes action on teachers productivity?
3. Has strike action bring about efficiency in achieving teachers productivity in Abia State?
4. What possible indices could be used to find solution to the challenges of strike to Abia state?

1.5 Statement Of Hypothesis

The following have been formulated so as to guide this study.

1. Ho: Strike action does not help in achieving teachers union aims.
   Hi: Strike action helps in achieving teachers union aims
2. Ho: Strike action discourages economic growth.
   Hi: Strike action encourages economic growth.

1.6 Significance Of The Study

This study help teachers union members of any established organization be it public or private to realize the importance of well organized strike action that will contribute to the growth and development of the organization.

It will also help government parastatas towards solving their employee’s grievance and strike action.
Obviously, the study will be beneficial particularly to the teachers, as Nigerian Union of Teachers is used as the case study.

In the same vein, this will help them immensely to know their legitimate rights as employees and how to institute strike as a tools of compelling government to implement certain policies that will boost their moral towards.

This study will equally be of great important to the employers and employees of the private sectors of any economy to find out solution to the numerous issues that have impeded or hindered the government of teachers union.

Lastly, it will help a great deal to identify the failures, lapses and neglects the management system of teachers union, as it had to do with Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abia state chapter.

1.7 Scope Of The Study

This research work covers only the general affair of the Nigerian union of teachers (NUT), as regards to the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat, in which the researcher is based on Nigeria union of Teachers, Abia state chapter.

Also, the work is to cover and improve the management of the organization mentioned above.

Again, the research work is connected with inadequate resources, time and financial constraints, which mean constrained when the researcher was carrying out this work in the office of the Nigerian union of Teachers, Abia state chapter.

This research work is being carried out at this time, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Abia state chapter, once facing hard time of non-payment of salaries. This created much problem which made it impossible for the researcher to collect much information as needed.

In addition, the responses and attitude towards the officials of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abia state chapter to respond accurately about the information was very poor, as a result being fear towards the materials or avoid not to being bask or dismiss.

1.8 Limitation Of The Study

The study would have made an indebt investigation die to the arouse interest in the subject especially in the Nigeria case but as a result of source unavoidable factors which act as limitation in the curse of this study.

Time Frame:

The Limitation or shortness of time to complete the study constraint the researcher study requires adequate time in the collection and compilation of data.

Finance:

As a result of financial setback during the course of the study which would used to pursue the overriding needed textbooks, journals, news papers, magazine and search for information. However financial constraint influence the final work.

Attitude Of Respondent:

Some of the respondents exhibited certain unwholesome attitude toward answering the research questionnaire. Similarly access to the key actions in the union is difficult because they do not make themselves available for interview. Also, most of the printed questionnaire could not complete them. This did not affect the research adversely.

1.9 Definition Of Terms

Organization:

Is a group of people who form a business together in order to achieve a particular aim.

Strike:

Is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work.

Trade Union:

Is any combination of workers and employer, whether temporal or permanent having its purpose in the regulation of the terms and conditions of employment of workers.

Nigeria Union Of Teachers (Nut):

Is the teachers employed in educational institution of all types but excluding universities, polytechnics, college of education and other tertiary institutions.