Casual Labour Practices and Violation of Workers’ Rights in Nigerian Bottling Companies: A Survey of Facilities in Onitsha

This study investigates casual labour practices and their implications for workers' rights in bottling companies in Onitsha, Anambra State, South East Nigeria. The proliferation of casual and contract employment in Nigeria's manufacturing sector has generated widespread concerns about the erosion of fundamental labour rights, including job security, fair wages, and access to benefits. A descriptive survey design was employed, with data collected from 155 casual workers, permanent employees, HR managers, and union officials through structured questionnaires. The study is grounded in the ILO Decent Work Framework and Critical Labour Theory, drawing on recent studies on precarious employment in West African manufacturing. Findings reveal that casual workers in the sampled bottling companies perform equivalent tasks to permanent staff but receive significantly lower wages, are excluded from pension contributions, have no access to health insurance, and face near-total job insecurity. Union coverage among casual workers is minimal, leaving them without collective representation. The study further identifies a systematic cycle whereby workers are kept on casual status for years beyond the legally permissible period to avoid triggering permanency obligations under the Nigerian Labour Act. Recommendations include strengthened enforcement of casual employment duration limits by the Ministry of Labour, mandatory registration of casual workers with the National Social Insurance Trust Fund, and legislative amendments to close regulatory loopholes. This study contributes to labour rights literature in Nigeria and is directly relevant to trade unions, labour inspectors, and workers' rights advocates. Keywords: casual labour, workers' rights, bottling companies, Onitsha, precarious employment