FCT Workers Defy Court Order, Resume Indefinite Strike Over Welfare Demands

Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the banner of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), have resumed their indefinite industrial action that originally began on January 19, defying a recent ruling by the National Industrial Court.Offices across FCTA secretariats, departments, and agencies recorded low attendance on Thursday as workers complied with JUAC's directive to stay home, effectively grounding operations in the nation's capital.The resumption follows the union's appeal against the National Industrial Court's January 27 decision, which ordered the suspension of the strike pending further hearing and adjourned the case to March 23. Represented by prominent lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, JUAC filed the appeal, arguing that the injunction primarily targeted union leaders rather than the broader workforce or the unions themselves.JUAC Secretary Abdullahi Saleh issued a circular reinforcing the continuation of the strike, urging members to remain united and resolute in pursuit of their unresolved welfare concerns, which the union says are impacting morale and productivity.In response to the ongoing action, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had earlier warned of consequences for non-compliance and directed workers to resume duties, asserting that most of the unions' demands out of an initial list of 14 had already been addressed by the administration. The acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCTA, Mrs. Nancy Nathan, also circulated a directive for immediate resumption following the court's ruling.However, JUAC maintained that meaningful negotiations with the minister had not occurred and that the strike would persist until substantive issues are resolved through direct engagement.The industrial action has disrupted services in FCTA-related offices, area councils, and parastatals, highlighting ongoing tensions between the workers and the FCT leadership amid broader economic pressures in Nigeria.The dispute centers on long-standing grievances related to welfare, remuneration, and working conditions, with unions insisting on full satisfaction of their demands before calling off the strike.

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