Strike: Labour, FCT Minister Reach Agreement, Workers Resume Tuesday

The Organised Labour and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have reached an agreement to end the strike action involving workers in the FCT Administration, paving the way for an immediate resumption of work from this Tuesday.

The agreement was reached after a conciliatory meeting between labour leaders and the FCT minister, convened at the instance of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT, Senator Mohammed Bomoi.

The all-night meeting, according to labour sources, began late on Monday night at 11:45 p.m. and stretched into the early hours of Tuesday, ending at 3:51 a.m. after prolonged and frank deliberations.

The outcome of the talks was formally communicated to union members in a joint circular issued by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on behalf of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC).

The circular was signed by the Secretary General of the TUC, Comrade General N.A. Toro, and the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Benson Upah.

Labour said all grievances that triggered the industrial action were tabled and addressed during the meeting.

The unions also said the FCT minister gave assurances of improved labour, management relations, anchored on mutual respect and continuous engagement with workers and their representatives.

As part of the resolutions, both parties agreed that no worker would be victimised for participating in the strike action. In addition, all cases arising from the dispute and currently before the National Industrial Court (NIC) were to be withdrawn immediately, clearing the legal bottlenecks associated with the action.

The circular read, “All complaints presented by JUAC members were taken one after the other and fully addressed. The Honourable Minister assured Organised Labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward.

“It was agreed that, arising from the strike action, no worker shall be victimised in any manner.Consequently, all JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working in the Ministry of the FCT are hereby directed to resume work immediately”.

Following the agreement, JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working under the ministry of the Federal Capital Territory were directed to resume work immediately.

Labour leaders urged strict compliance with the directive, stressing the need to restore normal services and sustain industrial peace in the nation’s capital.