The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has directed its affiliated unions and members to continue their normal duties, distancing itself from an indefinite strike declared by the FCT Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the TUC said it was not consulted before the NLC announced the industrial action and had neither participated in the meeting that produced the decision nor endorsed the strike.

The NLC had directed workers in public and private sector establishments across the FCT to begin an indefinite strike on October 7, following a dispute with the Federal Capital Territory Administration over teachers’ promotion and welfare. The strike directive was issued after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum to the administration. 

The dispute centres partly on the FCTA’s requirement that vacancies must be available before teachers can be promoted. The NLC argues that the policy has hindered teachers’ career progression and is demanding changes to the promotion process, alongside other measures concerning education-sector management and staff welfare. 

However, the TUC FCT Council said it was not a party to the strike and instructed its affiliate unions and members to report to work as usual. It also warned against attempts to intimidate or compel its members to participate in an industrial action it had not approved.

The council further directed affiliate leaders to disregard instructions to establish strike enforcement committees unless those directives came from the TUC FCT leadership. It urged members to report any attempt to force them into the strike to its secretariat.

While distancing itself from the industrial action, the TUC called for dialogue between the relevant parties, expressing concern about the potential disruption to workers, teachers and schoolchildren. It said it remained open to resolving the dispute through established industrial relations channels.

The disagreement highlights a difference in position between the FCT councils of the two labour centres. The TUC’s directive applies to its own members and should not be interpreted as an announcement that the NLC’s strike has been called off. The dispute between the NLC and the FCT Administration remains a separate matter.