Abstract: Like in any developing nation, labour unions emerged in Nigeria amidst difficult circumstances. They emerged to fight for and protect the rights of the workers in the situation where employers of labour strived always to enjoy maximum profits through the sweats of their employees but paid pitance to their workers as wages. The early labour leaders could not be oblivious of the importance of a central labour movement as a stronger umbrella capable of effectively fighting the course of the generality of Nigerian workers but selfish ambitions disunited them and this enabled the government to impose its decisions on workers. Consequently, there was no effective relationship between employers of labour and labour unions. The unions functioned individually and were treated by employers as an idle or isolated snake. Neither the formation of the unions nor the agreements reached at the negotiating table between them and employers were backed up by law thus, implementation of such agreements was at the discretion of the employers. In order to curb incessant strikes by individual trade unions for the sake of industrial peace in the country, the federal government had to promulgate decrees to regulate trade unionism by forcing a single central labour organization on labour leaders. Though on the surface, the step was to enable government which is the largest employer of labour in the country to have a single central labour body to bargain with as representative of the working class, the ulterior motive was to weaken the unions. Did the subsequent Trade union acts enhance management-union relationship in the country? Has collective bargaining solved labour problems? Why were collective agreements often breached by employers? These and other related issues are the focus of this study.