STRIKE ACTION AS A TOOL FOR ENFORCING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:ITS EFFECT ON HEALTH CARE SERVICE DELIVERY (A CASESTUDYOFUNIVERSITY OF BENIN TEACHING HOSPITAL)

The study examines the ef ect of strike action as a tool for enforcing collective bargainingonef ective health care service delivery. The majority of strike actions are initiated in responseto complaints from employees, and the number of industrial actions has skyrocketedinNigeria. Nigeria health care sector has been rocked by strikes. Health care workers acrossthe country have engaged in or threatened various forms of strike action. In all casesthehealth care systems have been thrown into turmoil. To provide focus for the study, research questions and hypotheses were formulated. Data collected through the use of a questionnaire was analysed using the chi-square statistical technique. According to the analysis, poor pay, refusal to participate in salary reviews, and nonpayment of accrued salaries are the primary causes of strikes among health care workers. The major findings, amongst others, include that strike action carried out by health workers hinder ef ective health care service delivery as man power is limited and there is increase mortality rate. Based on its findings, the studysuggested some recommendations, amongst which include that the government or employers should endeavour to meet a reasonable percentage of health workers' demand in order to avert
Industrial action by health workers, government or employers should always resort tocollective bargain with health workers whenever their demands are made to avoid strike.