Wildcat Strike and Collective Bargaining Outcome of Petroleum Marketing Companies in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Union strike strategy and collective bargaining outcome are integral parts of industrial democracy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between wildcat strike and measures of collective bargaining outcome (Terms/conditions of employment, Workplace rules and grievance procedures) as elements of industrial democracy of petroleum marketing companies in Rivers State, Nigeria. The population of the study consists of all the 10 petroleum marketing companies under the petroleum downstream sector in Rivers State, Nigeria, while the sample size is the same as the population because it qualified as small. The correlation survey approach was adopted. The structured questionnaire was developed and 102 copies distributed to managers and union leaders of the 10 petroleum marketing companies in Rivers State, Nigeria. 93 copies were retrieved representing 91.18 percent but 88 copies were usable and represent 94.62 percent. Instruments for the study were tested using the convergence validity test and Cronbach alpha tool for validity and reliability respectively. Analysis included four stages. Bivariate hypotheses were tested using Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient and the multivariate; using the bootstrapping tool. Results from the study show that there exist strong positive and significant relationship amongst wildcat strike and measures of collective bargaining outcome. The results also show that the environment is the parent organism and wildcat strike is the signal that alerts it to intervene and forestall or correct intolerable practices in industry. The study concludes that wildcat strike is the way of influencing or coercing management to the bargaining table when it does not want to; and an action to ensure timely and proper implementation of collective agreement. The study recommends that better and regular workers-management meetings should be enshrined, the study also recommends co-authorship of workplace rules between unions and managements, and that companies should resort to internal and external laid down procedures for settling disputes.