Strike: Union disputes FCTA’s claims, says key demands remain unresolved

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The Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) has rejected claims by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) that it has met 10 out of the 14 demands of striking workers, insisting that only two issues have been partially addressed.

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Reacting to the claims in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the union’s President, Rifkatu Lortyer, said the administration’s claims do not reflect the outcome of negotiations held with union leaders before and after the strike began on Monday.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that workers under JUAC commenced an indefinite strike on Monday, shutting down offices of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in Abuja.

The industrial action followed an earlier notice issued by the unions on Friday, announcing plans to shut down government offices across the FCT and its area councils over what they described as the failure of the FCTA to fully address welfare issues, including unpaid allowances, promotion arrears and other conditions of service.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited the secretariat on Tuesday, the main entrance gate remained under lock and key, with heavy security presence around the complex.

Security personnel, including soldiers and police officers, were stationed at strategic points, while security guards restricted movement into the premises.

At the second entrance, only a pedestrian gate was open, allowing limited foot movement.

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‘Only two issues addressed’

Ms Lortyer said the FCTA claiming that 10 out of their 14 demands had been met is inaccurate.

“I don’t know exactly what the senior assistant to the minister is talking about. He has never been part of our negotiating team. Even the people that we are negotiating with know that they are making frantic efforts for certain things to be done and nothing is done so far,” she said.

She noted that union leaders were aware that negotiations were ongoing but insisted that concrete resolutions had not been reached.

“The only thing that has been done fully is the payment of the 13 months’ hazard allowance for medical and health workers, which was paid before Monday.”

She added that the administration also paid one month of the wage award after negotiations had begun.

“That is all they have done so far. Four more months of the wage award are still outstanding,” she said.

Pension deductions, dispute

Ms Lortyer said one of the most pressing unresolved issues is the non-remittance of workers’ pension contributions.

“What is most painful to me is our pension contribution. We wonder what hindered it from going to our pension fund administrators from May last year,” she said.

On the dispute over promotion examinations and pass rates, which the FCTA dismissed as unsubstantiated, Ms Lortyer said workers had access to internal information.

“We are not staff of the commission, but we are staff in the system and we get information when we want to get. There is nothing that is being done for every management that is not handled by a personnel.”

“But it will be good for us if because we got the information and we are talking about it and they go and make it 50 per cent and we indeed have 50 per cent, that will also be a plus for us.

Meanwhile, the FCTA had earlier said claims that only about 22.5 per cent of candidates passed the promotion examinations had no official backing, advising unions to await formal results.

No agreement after meetings

Ms Lortyer also contradicted claims by the FCTA that meetings held over the weekend had resolved most issues.

She noted that negotiation meetings held on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but no concrete resolution was reached.

“All the meetings remained in deadlock. It is this morning that I was told they are making frantic efforts to make sure some of these things are being handled.”

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She added that the last meeting, held on Monday after the strike had commenced, also ended in a deadlock.

Asked how long the strike would last, Ms Lortyer said the unions had no timeline for calling it off.

She said, “As long as it lasts. I can’t give you a definite answer. If our demands are not met, it will continue.”

She added that as of Tuesday, the administration had not invited the unions for another round of talks.