The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has directed its members to report to work as usual, distancing itself from an indefinite strike declared by the FCT Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
In a statement issued on Thursday, the FCT TUC said the NLC announced the strike without consulting its council or affiliated unions.
The dispute centres on the FCT Administration and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, with the NLC directing public and private sector workers in the territory to begin an indefinite strike on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
The TUC said it neither participated in the meeting that produced the directive nor endorsed the decision to embark on industrial action.
“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 council stated.
TUC Tells Members to Continue Work
The council instructed its affiliate unions and members across the FCT to continue their normal activities and report to work as usual.
“All TUC affiliate unions and members in the FCT should go about their normal duties and businesses and report to work as usual,” it said.
The TUC also warned against attempts to intimidate or coerce its members into participating in the strike.
“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,” the statement added.
It further directed affiliate union leaders to disregard instructions to establish enforcement committees unless such directives came from the FCT TUC leadership.
TUC Calls for Dialogue Over Teachers’ Dispute
The council urged its members to remain calm, law-abiding and vigilant, adding that any further guidance would come from its leadership if the situation changed.
Expressing concern for teachers, other workers and children, the TUC called for consultation and the use of established industrial relations channels to resolve the dispute.
“We remain open to that approach, so that our children’s access to education and a bright future is not disrupted,” it said.
The council maintained that dialogue remained the preferred route to resolving the disagreement and preventing further disruption to education and other public services.
