Alternative Dispute Resolution and Collective Conciliation in Nigeria: A Review of Contemporary Literature

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present detailed contextual understanding of employment relations, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and collective conciliation in Nigeria. This contextual understanding is important in order to comprehend the specific evolution of ADR and collective conciliation in Nigeria, the particular configuration of employment relations institutions and the role of different stakeholders such as trade unions and employers' associations. The outcomes of this study, affirms the significance of the roles and responsibilities of the actors (employer, trade union, state and conciliator) and highlights the procedures inherent in the dispute resolution mechanism hence, revealing how the weakness of state machinery tends to frustrate the process of conciliation in practice. Additionally, this study offers a reflection of what previous studies have presented, concerning the perceptions of users about the outcomes of collective conciliation within the Nigerian context.