Authors: David Imhonopi and Ugochukwu Moses Urim
Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa (Volume 13, No.2, 2011)
Abstract
Labor movements are known to exist for the primary purpose of protecting the interests of labor in the society. They ensure members’ welfare and interests are given priority attention by employers and government. However, in Nigeria, labor movements have emerged as champions of causes that exist outside the walls of corporate employment. They have become the voice of
the voiceless, platform for the unheard and downtrodden, and the hope of the masses. Situated within the context of a belligerent climate of repression, exploitation, and subjugation by the political and economic managers of the state, labor movements have turned around to push for reforms and transformation of the Nigerian society in different spheres. This study therefore examines the dynamic and phasic evolution of labor movements in Nigeria, and how they have transformed from being a strictly industrial relations actor to a dynamic force for social change in the face of an unwilling, repressive, and indifferent state.