The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind the indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), citing unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, and unremitted pension contributions.
The strike, coordinated by the Joint Unions Action Congress (JUAC), began on Monday and has disrupted operations across several FCTA offices in Abuja. Workers accuse management of failing to resolve long-standing grievances, including wage delays and outstanding promotions.
In a statement on Friday, NLC President Joe Ajaero described the situation as a deliberate assault on the working class.
“The case of wage abuse is clear. The illegal withholding of five months’ wage awards and promotion arrears is not an administrative oversight but a brazen denial of workers’ legitimate earnings, a direct attack on livelihoods, and a violation of the constitutional guarantee of remuneration,” Ajaero said.
He further condemned the non-remittance of pension contributions since May 2025, along with National Housing Fund deductions, calling it “economic sabotage” that exposes workers to destitution in retirement.
While FCTA officials claim progress has been made, stating that 10 of the 14 demands have been addressed, JUAC insists no formal agreement has been reached and that none of the issues have been conclusively implemented or verified.
The union also accused the administration of intimidating staff, citing bans on phone usage and alleged arrests of workers, which it described as fascist tactics aimed at silencing dissent.
In response, the NLC directed a full escalation of the strike, urging all affiliate unions in the FCT to intensify action. Workers were asked to converge at the National Industrial Court on January 26, 2026, where the dispute will be heard. The NLC also mandated daily prayer and solidarity sessions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. across designated venues in Abuja.
Despite the disruption, the FCTA maintains that payments of wage awards have begun, hazard and rural allowances for health workers have been settled, and promotion arrears approved in December 2025 are being processed.
JUAC, however, insists the strike will continue until all demands are fully met. The NLC urged broader solidarity, calling on civil society groups, students, and activists to join the struggle, describing it as “not just a labour dispute but a people’s struggle against an insensitive administration.”
“The patience of the working class is exhausted,” the NLC warned, pledging to sustain the strike until workers’ rights are respected and their dignity restored.
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