The Trade Union Council of Nigeria has asked FCT workers to disregard NLCs order in indefinite strike.
In a communique, the TUC FCT stated that it is concerned about the welfare of children, teachers and all workers in the FCT and believes the issues raised by the teachers can be best resolved through proper consultations and the established channels of industrial relations.
The statement reads in part:
“The TUC FCT Council is in receipt of a communique dated 6th October, 2026, issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council, directing all workers in the FCT, public and private, to begin an indefinite strike from Wednesday, 7th October, 2026, over the dispute between the FCT Administration (FCTA) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
The TUC FCT wishes to state clearly:
1. 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.
2. The TUC FCT believes that issues should be approached proactively and with effective strategies, especially where they concern children and the plight of workers.
Directive to members:
• All TUC affiliate unions and members in the FCT should go about their normal duties and businesses and report to work as usual.
• Members should not be intimidated or coerced into joining any action that the TUC has not sanctioned. Any such incident should be reported to the TUC FCT Secretariat without delay.
• Affiliate leaders should disregard any directive to set up “enforcement committees” that does not come from the TUC FCT.
• Members should remain calm, law-abiding and vigilant. Further guidance will come only from the TUC FCT leadership if the situation changes.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council, had directed workers across the public and private sectors in the Federal Capital Territory to commence an indefinite strike over the promotion policy for FCT teachers.
The directive, which took effect on Wednesday, followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration on September 8 and what the labour council described as an inadequate response to its demands.
The NLC specifically faulted the requirement that teachers must wait for vacancies before they can be promoted, describing the policy as alien to the teaching profession and responsible for years of career stagnation.
In resolutions signed by its Chairman, Comrade Knabayi Adalo, the council said teachers were neither core civil servants nor pool staff and should not be subjected to vacancy-based promotion schemes.
It said teachers employed by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board and FCT Secondary Education Board were recruited specifically to teach and should therefore be promoted “as and when due.”
The council demanded the removal of the vacancy requirement for the promotion of FCT teachers and the reconsideration of teachers who were eligible in 2025 to sit for their promotion examination before or alongside the 2026 candidates.
