The Trade Union Congress (TUC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has rejected the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s directive for an indefinite strike over the dispute between the FCT Administration (FCTA) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), directing its members to disregard the order and continue their normal duties.
In a statement dated October 8, 2026, the TUC FCT Council said the NLC’s strike directive, issued in a communique on October 6 and scheduled to commence on October 7, was announced without consultation with the council or its affiliate unions in the territory.
The council distanced itself from the industrial action, insisting that it was neither involved in the meeting that produced the directive nor part of the decision to embark on the strike.
“The directive was issued without any consultation with the TUC FCT Council or any of its affiliates in the FCT. We took no part in the meeting that produced it, and we did not take part in the decision to call a strike. Accordingly, the TUC FCT is not a party to the said industrial action,” the statement said.
Consequently, the council directed all its affiliate unions and members across the FCT to report to work and continue their normal duties and businesses, despite the NLC’s strike order.
It also warned against attempts to intimidate or coerce its members into joining an industrial action it had not sanctioned, urging anyone subjected to such pressure to report immediately to the TUC FCT Secretariat.
The council further instructed affiliate union leaders to disregard any directive to establish “enforcement committees” unless such instructions came from the TUC FCT leadership.
Urging workers to remain calm, law-abiding and vigilant, the council said only its leadership would issue further guidance should the situation change.
Explaining its position, the TUC FCT Council stressed that disputes affecting workers and children required proactive engagement and effective strategies rather than actions taken without proper consultation.
“The TUC FCT believes that issues should be approached proactively and with effective strategies, especially where they concern children and the plight of workers,” the statement added.
The council said it remained concerned about the welfare of teachers, other workers and children whose education could be disrupted by the dispute.
It maintained that the disagreement between the FCTA and the NUT should be resolved through dialogue and established industrial relations channels.
“We remain open to that approach, so that our children’s access to education and a bright future is not disrupted,” the statement said.
