The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says any worker of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) who fails to resume work from Wednesday, January 28 would face disciplinary action.
Wike stated this on Tuesday while briefing journalists at his office in Abuja shortly after the National Industrial Court in the nation’s capital ordered the workers to suspend their ongoing strike.
“From tomorrow if you don’t come to work we are going to apply the big stick and from tomorrow if we see anybody who says he wants to block the gate, we will make you a scape goat. The law must take its place,” he warned.
Wike disclosed that his administration has met with the unions and all their grievances have also been tabled.
He stated that the security agencies and the FCT management have tried to dialogue with the unions but to no avail, asserting that there is more to it than just their demands
“I mean if the workers made 14 demands and the government has addressed 10 out of it what then is the issue?” Wike said.
FCTA workers began an indefinite strike last week over “authorities’ failure to address long-standing labour and welfare demands”.
The strike has led to the shutdown of activities across major government offices in Abuja.
Subsequently, Wike sued the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) over the industrial action.
On Tuesday, the national industrial court in Abuja ordered the workers to suspend their strike.
Delivering the ruling, the presiding judge, Emmanuel Subilim, held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.
He said once a dispute has been referred to the national industrial court, any ongoing strike must cease pending the determination of the case.
