Labour management practices of construction contractors in the Kainji/New Bussa area of Niger State

Abstract

This paper enumerated the number of facilities provided for construction labour by contractors within the study area, in addition to describing the relationships between contractors’ turnover of projects and the (i) number of facilities provided by contractors, (ii) frequency of dismissals of construction labour, and (iii) frequency of disputes on construction sites. Ten research questionnaires, which comprised eleven (11) simple multiple-choice questions on various aspects of labour management on construction sites, were administered to contractors/site agents selected for the study. Seven questionnaires were returned, giving a return rate of 70%. The majority of firms sampled engaged in both building and civil engineering works. The highest number of workers retained on site by contractors was sixteen. No skilled worker was paid more than N1700.00 per day. Unskilled labour earned between N500.00 and N700.00. Interviews with the site management revealed that daywork was widely practiced (workers paid daily for work performed). Other sites practiced piecework (where a gang of workers was paid a lump sum for a piece of work successfully completed). Neither the provision of site facilities nor the number of workers dismissed from construction sites was related to the project turnover of contractors. Site disputes were not as constant as suggested by correlation analysis of the research data; only about one in twelve projects (8%) involved labour disputes. Conclusions were drawn that construction clients need to do more to encourage smaller contractors provide basic site facilities for their workers, as well as suitable forum on site where grievances of workmen could be expressed. This could take the form of an informal gathering once a week where the views of everybody could be heard.