FCT Administration Moves To Resolve Workers’ Minimum Wage Strike
Executive members of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) met for several hours on Thursday evening with representatives of the FCT Administration to find lasting solutions to the month-long strike by primary school teachers and area council employees.
The workers downed tools and boycotted classes as well as offices since October 1, 2020, to press home their demand that the six area councils should commence payment of the new minimum wage which came into effect throughout the country about four months ago.
Insiders, who are labour leaders at the closed-door meeting, disclosed that the negotiating parties could not arrive at any meaningful agreement when the meeting ended Thursday night.
The major bone of contention revolved round arguments from both government officials and unionists on how the FCT Administration can pay the huge sum of money involved without crippling administrative operations and other essential services required by Abuja residents.
During the short break granted to enable participants ease and stretch themselves, the FCT NULGE President, Comrade Hassan Abubakar Yakubu, told anxious newsmen that worker’s compliance with the industrial action was 100% and guaranteed to last indefinitely.
He warned that it would be a mistake for government to underrate the resolve of the workers to prolong the strike stressing that members will not back down until their demands for full payment of the outstanding emoluments are met.
He stated that the arrears amounted to more than N6 billion and assured that workers would only go back to work when the area council chairmen accept to implement the new wage regime and pay the backlog instalmentally.
“We are aware that the area councils may not have the capacity to pay the arrears immediately. We can accept gradual settlement of the arrears on the condition that the chairmen should accept to start the implementation of the new minimum wage throughout the six area councils.”
Yakubu urged members to be patient and steadfast in their resolve despite the hardship being experienced assuring that victory will come at the end of the struggle.
“We have been patient for twenty months. I ask members for more patience as the lingering issues are about to be resolved amicably. Victory will be on our side because what we are asking for are our rights. We will get positive results,” he said.
Public primary schools have remained closed in Abuja since last month when schools reopened in the FCT after the long break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, junior administrative workers of area councils have boycotted their offices due to non-payment of the minimum wage.
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