ARTICLE SUMMARY
| Title: | Public Relations And Industrial Harmony In Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki |
| Author(s): | Kenneth Adibe NWAFOR, *Roland Charles OGINYI & Ukamaka OKWUBUNKA |
| Abstract: | There has a been a protracted industrial dispute between members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal and States governments of Nigeria for many years. This has led to series of industrial actions in the government owned universities in the country. Several efforts at bringing lasting solution to the protracted conflict have not yielded desired results. Ebonyi state university, Abakaliki is one of the institutions that have been mostly affected by the recurrent industrial disputes. This study investigated public relations and industrial harmony in Ebonyi state university, Abakaliki. The study employed mixed method, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches of descriptive survey design and personal interview to gather data. The study population was the entire 2,538 population of both academic and non-academic staff of the university as published by the registry unit of the university in July 2022. A sample size of 400 was determined using the Taro Yameni sample size determination formula. Structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while interview was used to collect the qualitative data adopting simple random sampling technique. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and one-way analysis of variance (F-Test) with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The interview responses which constitute the qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using thematic method. Findings show that strike actions have significantly influenced industrial disharmony in Ebonyi State University. Majority of the industrial actions resulted from late and/or non-payment salaries, pensions and gratuities, irregular and/or notional promotion without financial implementation, as well as the university management's recurrent interferences with the administrations of the labour unions. The study recommends more proactive measures on the part of the government by addressing the germane complaints over payment of pensions and gratuities, as well as irregular and/or notional promotion without financial implementation. Also, the public relations unit of the university should be recognized as a management organ and be strengthened to be able to advise the management appropriately including on how best to embrace more of the principle of collective bargaining through dialoging with labour unions in the university. |
| Keywords: | Public Relations, Collective Bargaining, Industrial Harmony |
Editorial Board
EDITOR-IN CHIEF
Prof. Jonathan E. Aliede
DEPUTY EDITOR-IN CHIEF
Agatha Obiageri Orji-Egwu, Ph.D
MANAGING EDITOR
SÃmon Ugochukwu Nwankwo, Ph.D
EDITORS
Prof. Ifeyinwa Nsude
Prof. Angela Nwanmuo
Prof. Tyotom Keghku
Prof. Muyiwa Poopola
Prof. Nnanyelugo Okoro
Prof L. I. Ogbuoshi
Ruth. Chika Okorie, Ph.D
Adeola Sidikat Oyrleke, Ph.D
Celestine Ukeoma, Ph.D