Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, under the Joint Union Action Committee, JUAC, resumed their indefinite strike on Thursday, which they initially began on January 19 over unresolved welfare concerns.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) observed that only a few workers were present across FCTA secretariats, departments and agencies, a stark contrast to Wednesday’s heavy turnout.
The low attendance followed JUAC’s directive for workers to remain at home.
The strike resumption comes after JUAC filed an appeal against the National Industrial Court ruling of January 27, which had instructed the workers to suspend the strike and adjourned the case to March 23.
The union pursued the appeal through its lead counsel, Femi Falana, SAN.
Following the court’s ruling, Mrs Nancy Nathan, the acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCTA, directed all workers to resume duties on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, warned that there would be consequences for any worker who failed to return to work.
He also assured the staff that the FCTA remained open to reasonable negotiations, noting that “the majority of the demands have been addressed”.
Despite these directives, JUAC’s Secretary, Abdullahi Saleh, informed workers in a circular on Wednesday that the strike would continue from Thursday due to the appeal.
He urged the workers “to stay at home and pray for the success of the strike”, stressing that the struggle demands unity, discipline and unwavering commitment.
Saleh further highlighted the support of major labour unions, recalling that the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, had, in a joint communiqué on January 28, encouraged FCT workers “to defend their rights with courage and dignity”.
The unions argued that the interlocutory injunction obtained by Wike and the FCTA targeted the President of JUAC, Mrs Rifkatu Iortyer, and Saleh, not the trade unions themselves.
In the communiqué, signed by NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, and TUC Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, they stressed that the strike would persist “until Wike negotiates with FCT workers”.