The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has rejected Minister Nyesom Wike’s directive to enforce the no-work, no-pay policy against workers participating in the ongoing strike.
They insist that the action is lawful and that the administration must address the grievances that led to the industrial dispute.
The labour union warned that attempts to stop the salaries of striking workers or compel teachers to report for duty through attendance monitoring would not resolve the crisis.
It also urged teachers to remain united and resist what it described as intimidation by the FCT Administration.
The NLC FCT Council Chairman, Knabayi Adalo, and the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, Margaret Jethro, communicated their positions in separate circulars issued to members on Sunday.
Both union officials described the minister’s directive as “unconstitutional, illegal, provocative and unenforceable” and called on affected workers not to abandon the strike because of threats of salary deductions or disciplinary action.
The dispute follows an indefinite strike declared by the NLC on October 7 over unresolved disagreements between the FCT Administration and teachers.
The industrial action has brought tensions over teachers’ welfare, promotion arrangements and the treatment of senior education officers to the forefront.
Wike had directed area council chairmen to implement the no-work, no-pay policy against workers who failed to report for duty.
He also instructed the FCT Head of Civil Service, principals and headteachers to open daily attendance registers to identify employees participating in the strike.
The measures have drawn a strong response from the labour unions, which maintain that the administration should focus on resolving the issues raised by teachers rather than threatening their earnings.
In his circular, Adalo urged workers across the territory to remain steadfast, arguing that the right to embark on industrial action is protected under Nigerian law, provided the necessary legal requirements are met.
“Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the Trade Unions Act, and ILO Conventions 87, 98 and 151, all ratified by Nigeria, guarantee workers’ right to embark on strike after due process.
“The NLC FCT has fulfilled all legal conditions,” Adalo stated.
He also challenged the proposed application of the no-work, no-pay rule, citing Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act.
According to him, the provision should not be used to punish workers participating in a lawful strike arising from unresolved disputes with their employers.
The NLC chairman argued that the circumstances leading to the strike must be considered before the administration takes action against affected employees.
He maintained that the FCT Administration had contributed to the dispute by introducing a vacancy clause affecting teachers’ promotions.
Adalo identified the promotion arrangement as one of the major grievances that prompted the industrial action.
He called for the removal of the clause, the conduct of the 2025 promotion exercise and the reinstatement of directors allegedly demoted despite being eligible to benefit from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.
“Another issue is the demotion of directors who are legitimate beneficiaries of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022,” he said.
He further cited previous decisions of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which he said supported workers’ claims to salaries in certain circumstances involving legitimate industrial action.
The labour leader insisted that the administration could not disregard workers’ grievances and then use the resulting strike as justification for punitive measures. He called on the FCT authorities to engage the unions and find a lasting solution to the dispute.
The controversy has also extended to the use of attendance registers in public schools.
Adalo alleged that some school administrators were pressuring teachers to sign attendance records despite the ongoing strike.
He directed union members not to sign the registers, describing their use during the industrial action as an attempt to create grounds for disciplinary proceedings against teachers.
“Participation in a union-declared strike is lawful industrial action, not absenteeism.
“Workers facing queries, threats or harassment are instructed to report immediately to the NLC FCT Council Secretariat with evidence,” he said.
Adalo warned that principals and headteachers who forced teachers to sign attendance registers or submitted names for punitive action could face consequences from the union.
He said administrators found engaging in such practices would be held personally responsible and could face union picketing.
The NLC maintained that the strike would continue until the authorities addressed the outstanding demands.
It also assured workers that it would stand by members facing threats or victimisation because of their participation in the industrial action.
“We assure all teachers and workers that the NLC will protect your jobs and salaries. No worker will be victimised,” Adalo affirmed.
Jethro, in her separate communication to teachers, also dismissed the minister’s no-work, no-pay directive as an empty threat.
She urged members to remain committed to the strike and avoid returning to their classrooms out of fear of losing their salaries.
“We must remain resolute. Do not chicken out; we must fight this battle together and now.
“We urge you not to panic, not to be intimidated and not to sign any attendance register. Shun the threat; the ongoing strike is legal and constitutionally guaranteed.
“Our demands are genuine and not political, as is being insinuated. We are asking for our welfare, not for power,” she said.
The NUT secretary thanked teachers who had complied with the strike, saying their participation reflected their commitment to securing better working conditions and protecting their professional interests.
However, she expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) to withdraw from the industrial action, accusing the organisation of betraying teachers at a critical point in the dispute.
Jethro urged teachers to remain peaceful and law-abiding while staying away from their schools.
She maintained that unity among members would be essential to achieving the union’s demands.
