FCT Strike: Labour Unions Direct Workers To Resume Immediately

Labour unions have asked their members and affiliates under the payroll of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to resume work with immediate effect.

The directive, contained in a joint circular by the TUC and NLC on Tuesday, followed a marathon conciliatory meeting between the unions and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Consequently, all JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working in the Ministry of the FCT (MFCT) are hereby directed to resume work immediately,” the circular, signed by the TUC Secretary General. N.A Toro and NLC Ag. General Secretary, Benson Upah, read in part.

“All affiliates are enjoined to comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony, in good faith.”

According to the labour unions, the breakthrough meeting was brokered by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Mohammed Bomoi, during which the grievances that have grounded activities at the FCTA secretariat since January 19 were addressed.

The unions said all complaints by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) were fully “addressed to the satisfaction of all parties involved” with Wike assuring organised labour of “mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward to ensure a harmonious working relationship”.

Other resolutions reached included a deal that “no worker shall be victimized in any way for participating in the industrial action” and that all “outstanding cases at the National Industrial Court (NIC) related to this industrial dispute shall be withdrawn immediately by the parties.”