The Trade Union Movement the world over has recently more than at any other time in its history come under severe stress and threats as a result of internal and external pressures that have arisen out of the changing global socio-economic relations and weakening internal capacities and capabilities to respond adequately and creatively to the challenges. Collective bargaining has come under serious survival tests undermining the capacity of the Unions as platforms for articulating, negotiating and projecting the interests and expectations of workers the world over. Terms and Conditions of employment have all worsened with dire consequences for Industrial Relations and the Socio-economic framework.

 The implications of this are increasingly lowering of labour standards the world over especially in under developed economies like ours. The abuse and violation of workplace and workers’ rights and privileges are becoming increasingly commonplace.   Intimidations, harassment, breaching of the Rule of Law, impunity and flagrant resort to unconventional means to resolve employee relations issues have all taken centre stage. It is therefore imperative that we state that new challenges have emerged and employers of labour both in the Public and Private sectors have adopted new strategies and tactics in conducting Human Resource management and overall Industrial Relations practice. These new practices and challenges are mostly skewed against the working people and in the long run the continued survival of organisations.

New strategies are therefore urgently demanded for the conduct of the tripartite relations which makes it imperative that all the actors within the Industrial Relations space must seek ways of equipping and repositioning themselves to be able to effectively harness the energies of these emerging pressures.

Industrial harmony has come under severe pressure thus heavily compromised in the workplace and where there is a semblance of peace, the balance is on the edge. This situation has heavy implications for the bottom line thus corporate survival especially in the long run as the prognosis is definitely not looking good.

It is imperative that the Management of the various companies within the sector realises the urgency and benefit of empowering their staffers especially those leading the union at various levels in their organisations by consciously building their capacities and capabilities. This allows for continuous harmony in the workplace which will boost productivity and increase the bottom line. This is critical to corporate survival.

Ideas remain the basis for future successful engagement with other partners especially as the world becomes increasingly knowledge – driven. Without adequate knowledge base, the Union will begin to operate from a weak position leaving it at the mercy of its social partners. The probability of the existence of this scenario should worry every worker and trade union activist as that would sound a death knell on the movement in Nigeria. This should also worry the discerning and proactive Management that understands the consequences of a workplace without capable and motivated leaders and workers. It should worry the employer that wants to grow the bottom line and build a sustainable corporate organisation. This therefore forms the basis for this workshop which is designed to address most of these capability deficits discussed earlier and to rebuild the Union by strengthening its structures through the empowering of the most critical resource of the Association and Organisation – its human capital

The aims of this course shall amongst others be;
– To equip Trade Union leadership at all levels with new leadership strategies
– To build increasing working class consciousness in the leadership
– To inculcate in the leadership at all levels new tools and skills for engaging the social partners
– To expose the leadership of the union to some of the emerging challenges to trade unions globally and in Nigeria.
– To build in trade union leaders especially the new comers the principles of Union rights and limitations
– To ensure that the Union is capable of providing benefits to its membership in the future
– Finally, to equip the leadership with necessary skills to ensure the continuous survival of the union in a constantly changing world.
– To keep the Unions strategically evolving and relevant to the Management and the workplace.