CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Trade disputes and industrial disharmony in recent times have resulted to low output production lose of lives and properties in the country.

It is thus a worth wile exercise to determine the various ways in which trade unions may influence the implementation of the management policies of an organization, and possibly suggest ways of harmonizing management policies with workers objectives.

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to the trade union Decree No 36 section (1) of 1973, trade union is defined as any combination of workers or employees whether temporary or permanent for the purpose of which is to regulate the terms and conditions of workers employment.  

However, a trade union is permitted by law to have additional purpose instead than that of regulating the terms and conditions of worker employment. It also utilizes its reasonable resources in some other untraceable positions or situations as contained in the rulebook of the union.

A trade union movement existed in Nigeria as early as 1912 with the civil service union as the first that came into existence, union like the Nigeria Railway Native staff union 1919 and the Nigeria union of teachers in 1931.

However, as the result of the passage of the trade union ordinance in 1938, other trade union emerged several of the union formed were ill motivated by their leaders since the leaders) seem to be illiterate and ignorance at what actually union suppose to be.

According to Yesufu (1952) the main reason for the formation of the civil service union was merely to match with union formed in Sierra Leone and other countries in West Africa, in the supreme position, the main aim for the formation of the unions were:

(1)             To protect the welfare and interest of members

(2)             To protect the employment position of the members

(3)             To maintain the dignity in labour and

(4)             To maintain standard working hours with standard remuneration equal to the output i.e. to stop or reduce much of human exploitation by the employer. 

Management policies however, are the instrument used by the top management of any organization (firm) in ensuring the problems facing the organization are solved within an acceptable constraint good policies provide definite and as well allow subordinates to make their own decision