Assessment of Industrial Action in Selected Colleges of Education in South Western Nigeria: Implications for Counselling Practice

Abstract

This research study examined industrial conflict in selected Colleges of Education, South-Western Nigeria. Opinions of two thousand, nine hundred and thirty one (2,931) academic and non-academic staff of three College of Education in South Western Nigeria viz- College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, Osun State College of Education, Ilesha, Osun State and Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Oyo State were randomly sampled using questionnaires. Three hypotheses were tested. Results revealed that age, (b=0.16, t= 4.37; P<.05), marital status (b=0.09, t= 3.28; P<.05) religion (b=0.08, t= 3.08; P<.05), academic qualification (b=0.22, t= 6.70; P<.05), and job designation (b=0.55, t= 15.21; P<.05) had significant independent prediction and joint [R² = 0.25, F (7,1271) = 61.04 ; P <.05] prediction on industrial conflict in the Colleges of Education under study. Results also revealed that there was a significant interaction effect of gender, work perception and union membership on industrial conflict in the College of Education [F (1, 1271) =21.31; P<.05]. It was also found out that there was a significant positive relationship between work perception and industrial conflict among the staff of the Colleges of Education (r (1270) = 11; P<.05]. Also, there was a significant difference between academic and non academic staff on their perception on industrial conflict (t (1270) = 17.06; P<.05). Results further revealed that there was a significant difference between the trade unions on their perception of industrial conflict [F (2, 1271) =157.22; P<.05). Job status of both academic (t (412) = 6.77; P<.05) and non-academic (t (856) = 3.17; P<.05) staff had significant differences on their perception of industrial conflict. The implications of this study for counselling practice were discussed and several recommendations were suggested.