“IMPACTS OF TRADE UNIONISM AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN PROMOTING JOB SATISFACTION IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. A STUDY OF NATIONAL UNION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES (NULGE), ABAKALIKI L.G.A”

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background of the Study

The relationship or the contract between employers and employees ought to be based on the principles of humanism and the respect for the sanctity of human integrity and aspirations. This is because, the employer aims at making sure that the corporate objectives of his firm or organization is realized through the activities and contribution of skills, ideas and expertise by the employees. Thus, Odimegwu .I. (2008:51) stated that, firms and business organization realize their corporate objectives and break even through the professional actions, employees. Employers achieve this thought strict processes of performance appraisal, staff disciplinary measures and effective monitoring.

On the part of the employee, he seek to achieve job satisfaction and high career growth in the employer and employee contract. Job satisfaction is a situation whereby the employee enjoys good condition of service and other benefits due to him by virtue of his performance and commitment towards the realization of the corporate objectives of the firm or organization where he works and also have the prospects of growing higher in his works and also have the prospects of growing higher in his career. According to Umeogu (2000:92), job satisfaction is the level of self-fulfillment and self-actualizing benefits satisfaction and prospects of career growth on employee enjoys in an organization or firm. In any organization where employees are not given the opportunity for job satisfaction, they often resort to collective bargaining and negotiation in order to achieve their goals. Realizing that employees can not achieve the goal of job satisfaction alone, they formed unions and groups or what is called labour unions in order to negotiate and bargain with employers and government agencies to improve the condition of service of employees. This is the beginning of trade unionism in employer and employee relationship. Trade Union is an organization of workers who have united together to achieve common goals such as protecting the integrity of its trade, achieving higher pay, increasing the number of employees an employer hires, and better working conditions. According to Okoro (2005:61) trade union is an organization whose membership consist of workers and union leaders, united to protect and promote their common interests. Trade unions use such measures as collective bargaining, negotiation, strike actions, demonstration and industrial actions to achieve their goals.

“IMPACTS OF TRADE UNIONISM AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN PROMOTING JOB SATISFACTION IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. A STUDY OF NATIONAL UNION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES (NULGE), ABAKALIKI L.G.A”