The Nigeria Labour Congress, Federal Capital Territory Council, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, FCT Wing, have rejected Minister Nyesom Wike's threat to enforce the no-work, no-pay policy against striking workers. In separate circulars, the unions described the directive as "unconstitutional, illegal, provocative and unenforceable". Wike had directed area council chairmen to enforce the policy against workers participating in the strike, which was declared by the NLC on October 7 over unresolved issues between the FCT Administration and the NUT.
The strike was called in response to issues including the imposition of a vacancy clause on teachers' promotions and the demotion of directors who are legitimate beneficiaries of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022. The NLC FCT Council Chairman, Knabayi Adalo, and the NUT FCT Wing Secretary, Margaret Jethro, have urged affected workers and teachers to remain steadfast and disregard threats of salary stoppage or attendance monitoring. They stressed that strike action remained a legitimate tool recognised under Nigerian law and international labour standards.
Adalo argued that the no-work, no-pay rule under Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act applied only to illegal strikes. He asserted that employers could not profit from their own wrongdoing when they created conditions necessitating industrial action. According to him, previous judgments by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria supported workers' entitlement to salaries in certain circumstances involving legitimate strikes.
The labour chairman directed union members to refuse to sign attendance registers opened during the strike, describing them as having no legal value and serving only as a trap to divide workers. He warned that principals or headteachers who forced teachers to sign attendance registers or submitted lists for punitive action would be held personally responsible and targeted for picketing by the union.
Adalo demanded the immediate removal of the vacancy clause, the conduct of the 2025 promotion exercise, and the full reinstatement of demoted directors. He assured all teachers and workers that the NLC would protect their jobs and salaries, and that no worker would be victimised. Jethro also described the no-work, no-pay directive as illegal and an empty threat, urging teachers not to resume duties out of fear.
Jethro thanked teachers for complying with the strike in the interest of their welfare, despite what she described as a "betrayal" by the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS). She accused the union of betraying teachers by withdrawing from the strike and urged teachers to remain peaceful and law-abiding while staying at home.
The NLC and NUT have maintained that their demands are genuine and not political, and that they are fighting for the welfare of teachers and workers. The strike is ongoing, with the unions standing firm against what they see as an attempt to intimidate and victimise workers.
Key points
- The Nigeria Labour Congress and Nigeria Union of Teachers have rejected the no-work, no-pay directive issued by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
- The directive was described as "unconstitutional, illegal, provocative and unenforceable" by the unions.
- The strike was called in response to issues including the imposition of a vacancy clause on teachers' promotions and the demotion of directors.
