Abstract
The year 2005 witnessed significant changes to Nigerian labour law and the system of industrial relations. In that year, the government introduced legislative reforms aimed at reducing state interference in the regulation of industrial relations by democratising labour and complying with the International Labour Organization (ILO) requirements. The changes would appear to have given more impetus to collective bargaining as a crucial mechanism in the determination of wages and other terms and conditions of the employment of workers. However, there are other areas where the law seems to have rolled back workers' rights. This article is a critical assessment of the extent to which the new law affects workers' freedom of association in Nigeria. The discussion centres on three key changes brought about by the Act, namely membership of trade unions, collective bargaining and the right to strike. This article argues that significant aspects of the law still unduly restrict workers' freedom of association and that the intended objective cannot be achieved under the present law. It concludes by calling for a new reform, the main purpose of which would be to comply fully with ILO requirements in order to protect workers and their trade unions.
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