Usually, African Countries are regarded and referred to as the second or third world countries-developing or underdeveloped countries, while Europe countries and Latin American are regarded as developed countries. Among other major criteria for identifying a developed or underdeveloped countries are the level of a country’s industrialization and commercialization, the technological know-how, level of literacy and her numeric strength-population.
However, these are not the only major prerequisite for national development, there are others which I may call the “intrinsic” factors while the listed above are “Extrinsic” factors. Intrinsic factors such as people’s interpersonal relationships also play vital role in nation building and sustainable development. Yet, concentrations have not been placed on them.
However, these are not the only major prerequisite for national development, there are others which I may call the “intrinsic” factors while the listed above are “Extrinsic” factors. Intrinsic factors such as people’s interpersonal relationships also play vital role in nation building and sustainable development. Yet, concentrations have not been placed on them.
My intension here is to identify interpersonal relationship that exists within all organizations in a country as factors that stands as an important grease that lubricate the other factors identified above as extrinsic which are necessary for national development. As the microcosms of the larger nation, organizations comprise gregarious people who interact and interrelate on daily bases in an attempt at making a living. These people-usually referred to as Actors in industrial relations-thus put in place all their energy and effort both physical and mental to the success of Organizations. This becomes necessary because of the nature and structure of contemporary bureaucratic organizations and the interdependent of people within such organizations for the attainment of organizational objectives. The success of all organizations in a country leads to the success and development in such country and vice versa.
THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
The above scenario may be extrapolated from “the system theory” of Professor John. T. Dunlop in 1958 who viewed the relations between these people (discussed above) as system and an analytical sub-system of an industrial society (Otobo 2005). A system and a sub-system of another system within which exist several sub-systems. The function of each sub-system in a system is interdependent and functioning system. What is extrapolated from this Dunlop’s claim is that the organizations or industries are important for a nation’s development. These Organizations provides basis for a country’s development and growth and may not themselves do this without the interdependent interaction among people who operate within such organizations. Dunlop refer to these people as actors in industrial relations who interact and interrelate on daily basis to see to the fact that organizational objectives are achieved and in turn get remunerations to cater for their needs and estate. These therefore defined the concept of EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS in this article. Employment relations thus, means the relationship that exists among different people of different background, race, sex, believes and interest who came together for socio-economic reasons in Organizations.
THE NEED FOR HARMONY IN EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS
Allan Fox in his “Pluralist Theory” views organizations as made up of powerful and conflicting sub-groups with their own legitimate loyalties, objectives and leaders. These competing sub-groups inevitably induced, in part, by the very structure of the organization. The identified conflict as not necessarily a bad thing but can be an agent for evolution and internal and external changes (Mullins, 2005). It should be noted that before these changes occur in organizations, many valuables must have been destroyed. Thus the need to ensure in any country’s organizations peace and tranquility which is important for stability in any country and which will in turn ensure developmental activities in the country. This is why Professor Awoyemi said in an international conference “Human Right Enforcement in African Continent” held in Nigeria in October 6th to 7th 2008 that “where there is Justice, there is Peace, where there is Peace, growth and development takes place”. It therefore becomes imperative to ensure Harmony in all aspect of employment relationship so as to ensure that African countries are developed substantially. Employment relations in this context does not necessarily limited to Industrial Organization but to all other sub-systems of the nation such as; Employment relation in the Political System, Employment relation in the Religion Institutions, Employment relation in the Educational Institution, Employment relation in the Economic Sector, Employment relation in the Family Institution. These are the major areas where employment relations is pervasive and having concluded that Harmony in these employment relations is vital to a countries development, the question to ask thus, is how can this harmony be achieved in the world of work? This question is however answered in the below section.
WAY FORWARD
Government of every country are having a superseding power over the actors-employers and their association and workers and their unions of industrial relations. Thus, the role of government in developing countries should be targeted towards the actualization of national development. Such Government therefore needs to strive to achieve peace, tranquility and orderliness in industrial setting. Some of the ways through which peace and harmony can be installed into every industrial society are therefore suggested below;
(1.) Industrial right to be reserved: Recognition and reservation of individual actor’s prerogatives without any arbitrariness is an important instrument for ascertaining that peace reign in industrial society.
(2.) Collective participation in decision making: In all organizations, in most African Countries, it is observed those workers are usually placed at the disadvantage position. They are usually sidelined in decision making, this also constitute grievances in industries as workers will remain antagonistic to this practice. Thus, it is imperative that the practice of equality and free collective or joint negotiation or participation in matters that affect their working life should be adopted in developing countries so as to avert conflict and disputes in industries.
(3.) A regulatory body should be set up against unfair labour practices: In Nigeria for example, a commission was set up against corruption by their formal President, President Olusegun Obasanjo who set up Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to regulate and sanction all corrupt public officers and the likes. This commission has played a substantial role in Nigeria, that Nigeria which was rated as the most corrupt country on the continent now has good image in the Global world. Government of developing countries should set up similar commission against erring employee or employers who might be found guilty of unjust treatment and practices.
(4.) Unbiased legislation: Government of every second world countries should ensure that employment laws enacted are not biased and are not favourable to one side. Labour laws should be formulated in such a way that the individual social partners are protected from injustice. By this, peace will surface in industrial organization.
(5.) ILO recommendations must be adhered to: For peace and harmony to take industrial organization as living home, the recommendations for International Labour Organizations should strictly be adhered to by social partners. Especially the core labour standard as recommended by the ILO.
(6.) Abolition of casualisation: The practice of casualisation or temporary staffing of employee should be eradicated if harmony is expected to reign in a country’s organizations. This practice of casualisation has been observed to be employers’ dubious way of depriving some workers of some fringe benefit that they deserve.
(7.) Incorporation of human right into secondary school curriculum: The subject of human right should be included in secondary school curriculum and should be taught as a separate subject which will cover all aspect of worker’s right at work, employers prerogative, governments duties and citizens obligations.
Government of every country are having a superseding power over the actors-employers and their association and workers and their unions of industrial relations. Thus, the role of government in developing countries should be targeted towards the actualization of national development. Such Government therefore needs to strive to achieve peace, tranquility and orderliness in industrial setting. Some of the ways through which peace and harmony can be installed into every industrial society are therefore suggested below;
(1.) Industrial right to be reserved: Recognition and reservation of individual actor’s prerogatives without any arbitrariness is an important instrument for ascertaining that peace reign in industrial society.
(2.) Collective participation in decision making: In all organizations, in most African Countries, it is observed those workers are usually placed at the disadvantage position. They are usually sidelined in decision making, this also constitute grievances in industries as workers will remain antagonistic to this practice. Thus, it is imperative that the practice of equality and free collective or joint negotiation or participation in matters that affect their working life should be adopted in developing countries so as to avert conflict and disputes in industries.
(3.) A regulatory body should be set up against unfair labour practices: In Nigeria for example, a commission was set up against corruption by their formal President, President Olusegun Obasanjo who set up Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to regulate and sanction all corrupt public officers and the likes. This commission has played a substantial role in Nigeria, that Nigeria which was rated as the most corrupt country on the continent now has good image in the Global world. Government of developing countries should set up similar commission against erring employee or employers who might be found guilty of unjust treatment and practices.
(4.) Unbiased legislation: Government of every second world countries should ensure that employment laws enacted are not biased and are not favourable to one side. Labour laws should be formulated in such a way that the individual social partners are protected from injustice. By this, peace will surface in industrial organization.
(5.) ILO recommendations must be adhered to: For peace and harmony to take industrial organization as living home, the recommendations for International Labour Organizations should strictly be adhered to by social partners. Especially the core labour standard as recommended by the ILO.
(6.) Abolition of casualisation: The practice of casualisation or temporary staffing of employee should be eradicated if harmony is expected to reign in a country’s organizations. This practice of casualisation has been observed to be employers’ dubious way of depriving some workers of some fringe benefit that they deserve.
(7.) Incorporation of human right into secondary school curriculum: The subject of human right should be included in secondary school curriculum and should be taught as a separate subject which will cover all aspect of worker’s right at work, employers prerogative, governments duties and citizens obligations.
CONCLUSION
It is crystal clear that developments occurs in a gradual process and are determined by some overt and covert variables. Unfortunately, attention is placed only on the over factors that brings about development such as industrialization, commercialization, etc. while some of the covert factors such as; industrial peace and harmony, man power development, etc. have not really been put into consideration by many African governments. With all the said and done in this article, it is believed that sustainable and rapid development will take place in African countries.
It is crystal clear that developments occurs in a gradual process and are determined by some overt and covert variables. Unfortunately, attention is placed only on the over factors that brings about development such as industrialization, commercialization, etc. while some of the covert factors such as; industrial peace and harmony, man power development, etc. have not really been put into consideration by many African governments. With all the said and done in this article, it is believed that sustainable and rapid development will take place in African countries.
Oludeyi Olukunle Saheed.
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