LABOUR-MANAGEMENT CONFLICT IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN ENUGU STATE 1999-2007

Abstract

Conflict has been understood to be part of man’s existence. Conflict is one of the daily problems that confront humans. It is an issue that is fundamental to the working of any organization-simple or complex. Specifically, it has been one of the basic problems in modern management-employee relations. In all organisations, the challenge is how to establish and maintain effective working relations. Unfortunately, there are strong pressures, both economic and psychological, within organizations and intergroup conflict to arise. The Nigerian Local Government system is not immune to conflicts and their destructive effects. In Enugu state, there is high incident of conflicts, which most of the time hinders effective and efficient service delivery. The paper posits that the absence of efficacious institutional framework for conflict resolution in the local government system underscores the persistence of tension and anxiety in the system, a situation which often times degenerates to full-scale industrial conflict. It therefore proffers viable options for building a more serene and amicable industrial atmosphere in the system.