The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT Council, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, have rejected Minister Nyesom Wike’s threat to use the no-work, no-pay rule against striking workers.
Knabayi Adalo, chairman of the NLC FCT Council, and Margaret Jethro, secretary of the NUT FCT Wing, shared their views in separate messages to members on Sunday.
In the messages shared with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday, they called the directive “unconstitutional, illegal, provocative and unenforceable.”
Mr Wike, who is the FCT Minister, told area council chairpersons on Friday to enforce the no-work, no-pay policy against workers taking part in the strike.
This directive came after the NLC declared an indefinite strike on 7 October due to unresolved issues with the FCT Administration and the NUT.
The minister also instructed the FCT Head of Civil Service, principals, and headteachers to keep daily attendance records to check for absentees.
In response, Mr Adalo urged workers and teachers affected by the strike to stay strong and ignore any threats about salary cuts or attendance checks.
He reassured workers in the FCT that striking is a legal right recognized by Nigerian law and international labor standards.
“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 following due process.
“The NLC FCT has fulfilled all legal conditions,” Mr Adalo stated.
On the issue of salary cuts, the labor leader said the no-work, no-pay rule in Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act applies only to illegal strikes.
He pointed out that employers should not benefit from their own mistakes when they create situations that lead to strikes.
He noted that the FCT Administration triggered the strike by violating teachers’ rights with a vacancy clause on their promotions.
“Another problem is the demotion of directors who should benefit from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022,” he added.
Mr Adalo also referred to past rulings by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which support workers' right to salaries in cases of legitimate strikes.
He insisted that salaries cannot be withheld when workers are on a legitimate strike caused by the employer’s failure to keep agreements.
Reacting to reports that some school heads were forcing teachers to sign attendance registers, Mr Adalo told union members to refuse to sign.
He explained that attendance registers created during a strike have no legal value and are meant to split workers.
“Taking part in a union-declared strike is lawful industrial action, not absenteeism.
“Workers facing threats or intimidation should report immediately to the NLC FCT Council Secretariat with proof,” he stated.
Adalo warned that principals or headteachers who forced teachers to sign attendance registers or submitted names for punishment would be held responsible.
He added that such school leaders would be targeted for protests by the union.
He stressed that the FCT Administration should deal with the main issues instead of using intimidation tactics.
He called for the immediate removal of the vacancy clause, the holding of the 2025 promotion exercise, and the full reinstatement of demoted directors.
“We assure all teachers and workers that the NLC will protect your jobs and salaries. No worker will be victimized,” Mr Adalo confirmed.
Ms Jethro also called the no-work, no-pay order illegal and an empty threat, encouraging teachers not to go back to work out of fear.
“We must stay strong. Do not back down; we need to fight this battle together and now.
“We ask you not to panic, not to be intimidated and not to sign any attendance register. Ignore the threat; the ongoing strike is legal and constitutionally protected.
“Our demands are genuine and not political, as some might say. We are asking for our welfare, not for power,” she said.
The secretary thanked teachers for joining the strike for their welfare, despite what she called a “betrayal” by the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS).
She accused the union of turning its back on teachers by pulling out of the strike.
“We ask you to remain peaceful and law-abiding while you stay at home,” she said.
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