1.1 Introduction
Strike action is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employee(s) to work. A strike usually takes place in respond to employee grievances (Omolayo, 2000). Strikes are the most significant aspect of industrial conflict. Strike is defined as the temporary stoppage of work in the pursuance of grievance or demand. In practice however, it has been difficult to separate strike from other forms of expression of industrial dispute as employer lock out workers and workers themselves embark on strike action. Rarely does a strike occur over a single issue for an obvious cause may be linked with several other issues that not immediately apparent to the observation that have caused dissatisfaction because solutions to them have been long in coming (Adetiba, 2012).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Strike action is inevitable in any given organization and has to be observed by an employer or employee. As strike exists in an organization proper and adequate measures should be taken without delay so as to avoid serious problems. Also perpetual dialogue should be place side by side with the continuous strike.
Workers union use strike as sanction or weapon to achieve the set targets most of these strike are caused by a lot of things especially delay on the part of the people at the head and their inability to let the workers know the state of things.
Nevertheless, strike action destabilizes, makes the management wake-up to their responsibilities and put things in order where there have been lapses for over years. It is equally a type of lessons to management which makes them to realize their lapses cum those things that should not be allowed to deterioration before they are handled.
In the actual display, strike can be devastating, causing a lot of damages and destruction as it can cripple an organization and bring everything to a stand still; infact strike is not good for organization because of its negative consequences. The use of strike is acceptable to extent that is properly used of the furtherance of legitimate social objectives.
Ojielo (2002), strikes are sometimes used to put pressure on government to change polices. Occasionally, strike destabilizes the rule of a particular political party or ruler. In such cases, strikes are often part of a broader social movement taking the form of a campaign of civil resistance. Thus, according to trade dispute decree, 1968, strike is defined as a cessation of work by a body of persons employed acting in combination or a concerted refusal under common understanding of any number of persons employed to continue to work for an employer in consequence of dispute done as a means of compelling their employer or any person employed or body of persons employed, to accept or not to accept terms of employment.
Another was the Nigerian Labour Congress strike in January 2000, when the government disagrees with Civil Servants wages and allowance, thirty one (31) working days were lost, and this led to trade and of attention to human factor in the organization. In order to render help and show kindness to humanity, government had to upgrade salaries in laid to resolve the issue of 1980, 1982, 1993, 1999 and 2000 respectively.
Recently, it appears that the academic staff union of polytechnic in line with Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri embarked on warning strike. However, this work will focus mainly on t he conception of strike, types of strike, mechanisms for the management of strike, as well as the impacts of strike action in the organization. Therefore, in Imo State, where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Strike Action a Tool for Achieving Organizational Goals using ASUP in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, Imo State.
1.3 Statement of Problems
This is all about the demand made by academic staff union of polytechnic (ASUP) in line with Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri to the Federal Government which have not effectively implement as required by the academic staff union of polytechnic which lead one week warning strike.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Strike Action a Tool for Achieving Organizational Goals using ASUP in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, Imo State as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To assess the essence of strike action that exists in an organization.
- To evaluate the level of assistance by the management of every organization to realize their lapses and wake-up to their responsibilities as to put things right where things have gone wrong.
- To highlight the various objectives function of the organization as well as its problems.
- To proffer recommendations which will base mainly on the findings strengthen the effectiveness of achieving organizational goal.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is strike the effective means of achieving organizational aims?
- Has strike action helped organizations to obtain its demand from management?
- What are the effects of strike action on achieving economic growth?
- What do you consider to be the most effective way of setting a strike action when it occurs?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Strike action is not an effective means of achieving organizational goal
- H1: Strike action is an effective means of achieving organizational goal
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Strike action does not assist organizations to obtain its demand from management
- H2: Strike action assists organizations to obtain its demand from management
1.7 Significance of Study
The study will help members of any established organization be it public or private to realize the importance of well organized strike action that will contribute to the growth and development of the organization. It will also help the government parastatals towards solving these employees' grievances.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Strike Action a Tool for Achieving Organizational Goals using ASUP in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, Imo State as a case study. This research is limited only to the general affairs of academic staff union of polytechnic (ASUP) as regards to the strength, weakness and opportunities. Also this research is to cover and improve the management of the organization mentioned above.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Industrial Action: a protest in which workers show that they disagree with a policy of their employer
Performance: the accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standards of accuracy and completeness
Infrastructure: the basic physical and organizational structure and facilities e.g. building, roads, power supply etc.
Funding: a sum of money or other resources set apart for a specific objective.
