A LEGAL APPRAISAL OF EMPLOYEES’ RIGHT TO STRIKE IN NIGERIA: A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON

Abstract

Strike is a labour right and the most potent force of the employee in its quest for a better condition of service. The right of workers to strike is recognized globally by the International Labour Organization instruments. Without the right to strike workers will merely be toothless bulldog in the hands of their employers as strike is the only language that employers hears and easily responds to without delay in other not to occasion any loss. Considering the nature of the right to strike, several jurisdictions have constitutionally guaranteed the right to strike giving it a status of a fundamental human right in the work place. Nigeria being a member of international Labour Organization has no positive legal frameworks guaranteeing the right of workers to strike. The crux of this work is to critically x-ray the current legislations in Nigeria to see whether the right to strike is recognized. The work conducts a succinct cross-national comparison of legal frameworks relating to right to strike in other jurisdiction and draw a lesson for our legislature and judiciary to emulate. It is clear from the analytical review of literature that Nigerian Government appears to deliberately curtail the right of employees to strike in Nigeria. It is the conclusion of this work that the legal framework in Nigeria should be amended to positively guarantee the right to strike in line with other jurisdictions.