Implementation of Economic Recovery Programmes Consequential Effects on Industrial Relations in Three Case Institutions in Tanzania

Contemporary industrial relations in Tanzania is characterized industrial unrest. The root cause of this problem can be traced the social and economic relations of neocolonial system. These relation are enhanced by implementation of ERPs in Tanzania. This study was concerned with finding out whether ERPs implementation in Tanzania has consequences which may have partially impacted upon the changing industrial relations in 1990s in Tanzania. A review of literature seemed to suggest that IMF ERPs prescribed policy package has greater potentials of lowering economic status of both enterprises and majority of wage earners and may cause social and industrial unrest. A Marxist political economy perspective is the appropriate selected theoretical framework for this study. Notwithstanding, the limitations of this study, findings from library research and field investigation at both macro-level and micro level suggest that the industrial unrest of 1990s in Tanzania is a syndrome of social and economic consequences of ERPs implementation-outcomes. The study ends with the conclusions and recommendations that ERPs policy packages implemented in Tanzania have lowered the economic status of majority of wage earners. This has caused industrial unrest. It is recommended that Tanzania industrial unrest can be resolved by adopting policies and programmes which create self- reliant economy.