NLC, NUT Reject Wike’s No-Work, No-Pay Threat as FCT Strike Continues

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have rejected Minister Nyesom Wike’s threat to withhold the salaries of workers participating in the ongoing indefinite strike.

The unions described the directive as unconstitutional, illegal and unenforceable, insisting that the industrial action was prompted by unresolved disputes over teachers’ promotions, career progression and the treatment of education officials.

The NLC FCT Council Chairman, Knabayi Adalo, and the NUT FCT Wing Secretary, Margaret Jethro, communicated their positions in separate circulars issued to members on Sunday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported their reactions on Monday, October 12, 2026.

The dispute has intensified following Wike’s directive to area council chairmen to enforce the no-work, no-pay policy against workers who remain away from their duties during the strike.

The industrial action began on October 7, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by the NLC over outstanding labour demands involving the FCT Administration.

Among the union’s major demands is the removal of the vacancy requirement attached to teachers’ promotions, which it says has hindered the career progression of eligible education officers.

The NLC is also demanding the reconsideration of eligible teachers who were unable to participate in the 2025 promotion exercise, as well as the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors said to be beneficiaries of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.

The union maintains that the administration must resolve these issues before normal activities can fully resume.

However, Wike has dismissed the strike as politically motivated, arguing that the administration has addressed or is implementing the workers’ legitimate demands.

On October 9, the minister directed the chairmen of the FCT’s six area councils to enforce the no-work, no-pay policy against participating workers. He also instructed relevant officials to monitor attendance and identify employees who failed to report for duty.

Reacting to the minister’s position, Adalo urged teachers and other affected workers not to be intimidated by threats of salary deductions or attendance monitoring.

He argued that workers had a legal right to embark on industrial action, provided the applicable legal requirements were satisfied.

The NLC chairman cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the Trade Unions Act and relevant International Labour Organization conventions in support of the union’s position.

He also challenged the proposed application of Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, arguing that the no-work, no-pay principle should not be used to penalise workers participating in a lawful strike arising from unresolved labour disputes.

Adalo further maintained that previous decisions of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria supported workers’ entitlement to salaries in certain circumstances involving industrial action.

However, the legality of withholding salaries in the present dispute remains contested. The unions’ interpretation represents their position, and any definitive legal determination would depend on the applicable law and the specific circumstances of the strike.

The disagreement has also extended to attendance monitoring in schools and other affected workplaces.

According to the NLC, some school administrators were allegedly compelling teachers to sign attendance registers during the industrial action.

Adalo instructed union members not to sign the registers, arguing that the exercise could be used to identify workers for possible disciplinary measures.

He warned principals and headteachers against allegedly forcing teachers to sign attendance records or submitting lists intended to facilitate punitive action.

The labour leader also urged workers who receive disciplinary queries or experience harassment to report to the NLC FCT Council Secretariat with supporting evidence.

The union called on the FCT Administration to concentrate on resolving the outstanding grievances rather than escalating tensions with workers.

NUT Insists Strike Is About Teachers’ Welfare

Jethro also rejected Wike’s directive, describing it as an illegal threat and urging teachers to remain united despite the possibility of salary deductions.

She maintained that the union’s demands concerned teachers’ welfare and professional advancement, rather than political interests.

The NUT secretary also criticised the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) for withdrawing from the industrial action, accusing it of abandoning teachers involved in the dispute.

She urged participating teachers to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the disagreement continued.

Meanwhile, the FCT Administration has defended its handling of the promotion dispute.

In a separate development reported by NAN on October 12, the FCT Head of Civil Service, Nancy Nathan, said 5,900 education officers were participating in the 2026 promotion examination despite the ongoing strike.

Nathan said the exercise included teachers who could not take part in the 2025 examination. She explained that Wike had directed that the affected officers be included in the 2026 exercise.

She also defended the vacancy requirement at higher grade levels, explaining that the civil service structure naturally limits the number of available positions as officers advance through the ranks.

The FCT Civil Service Commission Chairman, Emeka Ezeh, said the examination had commenced on October 5.

The administration’s position contrasts with the unions’ argument that unresolved promotion conditions and the treatment of certain directors remain key issues requiring attention.

What Happens Next?

The dispute now centres on whether the FCT Administration and organised labour can reach an agreement on promotions, the status of affected directors and the threatened salary deductions.

While the NLC and NUT insist that workers should not be intimidated into abandoning the strike, Wike has maintained that the administration will enforce its no-work, no-pay directive.

The continuing disagreement could affect public services and school activities across the FCT if both sides fail to reach a settlement.

For now, the unions are demanding concessions on their outstanding grievances, while the administration maintains that progress is being made on the promotion process.

A negotiated resolution would be crucial to restoring normal operations and limiting further disruption to teachers, workers, pupils and their families.