EFFECTS OF TRADE UNION ENGAGEMENT ON STAFF MOTIVATION IN SOUTH-SOUTH UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA

This study investigated trade union activism among academic staff and how this affects their morale in selected South-South universities in Nigeria. The theoretical basis for this study is the Ralf Dahrendorf’s conflict theory. The application of the Taro Yamen formula gave the researcher 381 lecturers as the sample size out of the 8,180 lecturers of the 8 randomly selected universities that formed the population and 174 Appointment and Promotion Committee (A&PC) members out of the 307 members that constitute the A&PC of the 8 randomly selected SouthSouth universities. The A&PC members were interviewed to get a balanced view. The Regression Analysis and the Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient tools were used to test the research objective and hypothesis. The findings shows that academic staff activism in ASUU activities reduces their morale by 9.40%. It also revealed that antagonism and victimization of academic staff who oppose the polices of the university where they work as well as those who are ASUU activists is an ongoing occurrence. This study recommends among others that there should be a standing committee to handle grievances and face-offs, promotion of lecturers should be based on laid down criteria, unbiased and fair appointment of lecturers into senate and other key offices, removal of the Vice Chancellor as a member of the Governing Council and A&PC so that he does not become the prosecutor and judge at the same time as well as increment in ASUU check off dues