In recent years, there have been controversies among students of Industrial Relations as to what the phrase “Labour Relations” stands for and what it connotes. The frequently asked question is weather it is an issue or matter between employer and employee alone or whether it is tripartite in nature. The answer to this question thus, necessitates the discourse in this write-up. The true meaning of labour relations is therefore addressed from both historical perspective and scholastic definitions of this phrase in the context of Industrial Relations
Labour as a factor of production is the key element in the productions of goods and services without which other factors cannot be put to use. Labour is therefore defined as the fondamental human input into the creation of utility. Hence, laborers are the people who engage in wage employment and sell their services in exchange for salaries for the purpose of making a living. Labour Relations on the other hand is defined by Fashoyin (1992) as “the day to day relationship between union members and managers in the work places with particular emphasis on implementation and enforcement of agreement” From his point of view, labour relations is all the activities that exist between employer and employee which are confined to particular industrial organizations living government excluded. The prime interest of labour relations therefore is the one which emphasizes the development of peaceful relations, mutual respect for each other and the development of concerted effort among workers to workers or workers to management to find solutions to problems affecting their working life towards better performances and working relationships.(Akinbode et al 2007) Labour Relations thus, becomes the particular relationship that exist on a daily basis between those who offer works to people and those who works are offered to. It is expedient to state here that traditionally, labour relations has been like this and has not changed yet. Although, it has moved towards a new dimension as a result of the incessant intervention of government which also has led to the present misconception of labour relations.
From historical perspective, labour relations has its antecedent during FEUDALISM when the “lords of manors” (also referred to as the nobles) owned the lands and provided work as well as security for the serfs – slaves. One cannot boldly say or claim that labour relations started during this era because the feudal societies were characterized with visible “forced labour”. Workers during this period were living and working under slavery. It was during the MEDIEVAL INDUSTRY that labour relations took its visible existence. This is because the main incentive to work during this era was to earn reward or some kind of payment in all the newly mechanised industries. This is unlike feudalism where it was master to slave relationships.
Also important in the above scenario is of the fact that during this period, government’s participation was not of note. Labor relations as at then was strictly between employer and employee.
From the foregoing, it can be deduced that the day to day activities of the two principal actors in industrial organizations is what is called “labour relations” hence if we construed labour relation to be a tripartite relation, then we are taking it to be tantamount to Industrial Relations whereas labour relations is only an important aspect of Industrial Relations. The two are not the same.
In the next article, the constraint to labour relations which brought about the misconception will be addressed. The article is titled "constraints to the Nigeria Labour Relations".
Labour as a factor of production is the key element in the productions of goods and services without which other factors cannot be put to use. Labour is therefore defined as the fondamental human input into the creation of utility. Hence, laborers are the people who engage in wage employment and sell their services in exchange for salaries for the purpose of making a living. Labour Relations on the other hand is defined by Fashoyin (1992) as “the day to day relationship between union members and managers in the work places with particular emphasis on implementation and enforcement of agreement” From his point of view, labour relations is all the activities that exist between employer and employee which are confined to particular industrial organizations living government excluded. The prime interest of labour relations therefore is the one which emphasizes the development of peaceful relations, mutual respect for each other and the development of concerted effort among workers to workers or workers to management to find solutions to problems affecting their working life towards better performances and working relationships.(Akinbode et al 2007) Labour Relations thus, becomes the particular relationship that exist on a daily basis between those who offer works to people and those who works are offered to. It is expedient to state here that traditionally, labour relations has been like this and has not changed yet. Although, it has moved towards a new dimension as a result of the incessant intervention of government which also has led to the present misconception of labour relations.
From historical perspective, labour relations has its antecedent during FEUDALISM when the “lords of manors” (also referred to as the nobles) owned the lands and provided work as well as security for the serfs – slaves. One cannot boldly say or claim that labour relations started during this era because the feudal societies were characterized with visible “forced labour”. Workers during this period were living and working under slavery. It was during the MEDIEVAL INDUSTRY that labour relations took its visible existence. This is because the main incentive to work during this era was to earn reward or some kind of payment in all the newly mechanised industries. This is unlike feudalism where it was master to slave relationships.
Also important in the above scenario is of the fact that during this period, government’s participation was not of note. Labor relations as at then was strictly between employer and employee.
From the foregoing, it can be deduced that the day to day activities of the two principal actors in industrial organizations is what is called “labour relations” hence if we construed labour relation to be a tripartite relation, then we are taking it to be tantamount to Industrial Relations whereas labour relations is only an important aspect of Industrial Relations. The two are not the same.
In the next article, the constraint to labour relations which brought about the misconception will be addressed. The article is titled "constraints to the Nigeria Labour Relations".
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