The Trade Union Movement the world over has recently more than at any other time in its history come under severe stress and threats as a result of internal and external pressures that have arisen out of the changing global socio-economic relations and weakening internal capacities and capabilities to respond adequately and creatively to the challenges.

Collective bargaining has come under serious survival tests undermining the capacity of the Unions as platforms for articulating, negotiating and projecting the interests and expectations of workers the world over. Terms and Conditions of employment have all worsened with dire consequences for Industrial Relations and the Socio-economic framework.

The implications of this are increasingly lowering of labor standards the world over especially in under developed economies like ours. The abuse and violation of workplace and workers' rights and privileges are becoming increasingly commonplace. Intimidations, harassment, breaching of the Rule of Law, impunity and flagrant resort to unconventional means to resolve employee relations issues have all taken center stage.

It is therefore imperative to state that new challenges have emerged and employers of labor both in the Public and Private sectors have adopted new strategies and tactics in conducting Human Resource management and overall Industrial Relations practice. These new practices and challenges are mostly skewed against the working people and in the long run the continued survival of organizations.

Workshop Profile

The aims of this workshop shall amongst others be;

• To equip Trade Union leadership at all levels with new leadership strategies
• To build increasing working-class consciousness in the leadership
• To inculcate in the leadership at all levels new tools and skills for engaging the social partners
• To expose the leadership of the union to some of the emerging challenges to trade unions globally and in Nigeria.
• To build in trade union leaders especially the new comers the principles of Union rights and limitations
• To ensure that the Union is capable of providing benefits to its membership in the future
• To keep the Unions strategically evolving and relevant to the Management and the workplace.
• Finally, to equip the leadership with necessary skills to ensure the continuous survival of the union in a constantly changing world.

Workshop Content:

• The History and Principles of trade unionism
• Negotiation techniques in a changing society
• Workers' Rights and Employers' prerogatives in the workplace
• Democratic Dissent and trade Union Activism
• Rights abuses and violations in the workplace: Role of Union activists
• Leadership issues and challenges within the trade unions in Nigeria
• Tripartism in the context of global pressures and internal vicissitudes
• Survival/relevance of trade unions in Nigeria – tools for engagement
• Creating a symbiosis between Management objectives and Trade Union Objectives
• Obstacles to effective organizing in trade unions
• Workplace harmony and responsive trade union actions
• Management – Trade union partnership for organizational survival: Issues and challenges
• Industrial Harmony: issues and challenges
• The structure, Functions and Objectives of Trade Unions

Target Audience

• Chairman, Chief Executives and Directors
• Trade Union Officials
• Industrial Relations Managers/Officers
• HR Managers / Personnel Officers
• Legal Advisers/ Officers
• Senior Staff of National Industrial Court (NIC) and
• Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP)
• All union and management representatives of all
• labor-management consultation committees should
• participate in joint learning on labor management consultation

Delivery Method:

The program will be delivered using the following methodologies: Lectures, discussions, syndicate work, Videos, case studies and exercises