By Moses Okorie
The minister of the federal capital territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to deal with Federal Capital Territory Administration workers who refused to resume duties tomorrow following industrial court order stopping the strike.
“I have given them the window. You can see me in the office today. If you don’t come to work tomorrow, we are going to apply the ‘big stick,’ Mr Wike stated on Tuesday during an interview with journalists in his office.
He noted the workers were required by law to resume work.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, earlier granted an interlocutory injunction jointly filed by Mr Wike the FCT Administration, compelling workers under the Joint Union Action Committee to suspend their ongoing strike.
Justice E.D. Subilim, in a judgement on Tuesday, held that though the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute and had met the required legal conditions, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.
Mr Wike also said his administration would not be moved by blackmail and intimidation tactics by striking FCTA workers.
The minister stated that his administration was open to responsible dialogue with the workers.
He noted that actions such as intimidation and blackmail would not be tolerated.
Responding to a question on whether there would be a dialogue following Tuesday’s court ruling, Mr Wike faulted the leadership of the workers’ union for being inconsistent in actions.
He said, “We have been almost disposed to dialogue. They have met with the management; they have met with the security agencies. What are the issues? We have them on table before. Before you know it, they have done a different thing.
“If genuinely it is okay, we have seen what has gone, what happened, then we will talk. But if it is on blackmail, intimidation, we will not agree. If you like go and hire all the civil servants in the whole world to take over Abuja, it is not my business.”
The workers’ grouse included backlog of salaries, delayed promotion arrears, as well poor working conditions.
Peoplesgazette