FCT Labour Unions Call Off Strike Instruct Workers to Return Immediately

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Labour unions under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have officially called off their strike in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), instructing members to immediately return to work following the resolution of a prolonged industrial dispute.

The directive was issued via a joint circular on Tuesday, signed by TUC Secretary-General N.A. Toro and NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah, stating:

“All JUAC members and affiliates of the TUC and NLC working within the Ministry of the FCT (MFCT) are hereby directed to resume work immediately. All affiliates are urged to comply fully with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and good faith.”

The strike came to an end after a lengthy negotiation session between the labour unions and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, with the talks reportedly facilitated by Senator Mohammed Bomoi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT.

The industrial action, led by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), had disrupted activities at the FCTA secretariat since January 19, but the recent talks reportedly resolved all concerns to the satisfaction of both parties. Minister Wike emphasized continued mutual respect and regular engagement to maintain stability in the civil service.

Key resolutions from the agreement include:

No worker will face retaliation for participating in the strike.
Immediate withdrawal of all pending cases at the National Industrial Court (NIC) related to the dispute.
A commitment to ongoing dialogue between organised labour and the FCTA.

The strike was initially triggered by issues including:

Non-remittance of statutory deductions, such as pension and housing fund contributions.
Delayed payment of promotion arrears.
Lack of promotion exercises.
Continued employment of retired directors and permanent staff.

The resolution follows an interim order by the National Industrial Court, restraining the NLC, TUC, and other parties from further strike action or protests.

Justice Emmanuel Sublim, ruling on an ex parte application filed by the FCTA and Minister Wike, directed all respondents and their representatives to suspend planned industrial action pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The court also instructed the fifth to ninth defendants, including security agencies, to ensure law and order is maintained.

The application, presented by Ogwu Onoja (SAN) on behalf of Minister Wike and the FCTA, referenced a mobilisation notice issued by the FCT NLC council chair for a planned protest on February 3.

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