The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions has criticised the Federal Government for what it described as the persistent use of the “no-work-no-pay” policy as a tool to threaten and suppress workers’ rights during industrial disputes.
The union’s General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, made the position known in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
He argued that the policy is being applied in a manner that violates fair labour practices and undermines the constitutional rights of workers to engage in lawful strikes.
According to him, the provision cited from Section 42(1)(a) of the Trade Disputes Act was never intended to punish workers for seeking justice, but has instead become “a weapon of intimidation in the hands of some government officials.”
“The no-work-no-pay provision was never intended to be a weapon of oppression,” Adeyemi said.
“It should not be used to criminalise legitimate struggles for fairness, dignity and the fulfilment of agreements.”
He noted that workers resort to strikes only after exhausting all peaceful and lawful negotiation channels, often in situations where government bodies fail to honour agreements or delay salaries.
“Where were these same officials when workers went for months without pay?
The selective enforcement of no-work-no-pay while ignoring no-pay-no-work is unjust and contrary to the spirit of equity,” he stated.
Adeyemi stressed that international labour standards, including the International Labour Organisation Conventions 87 and 98, recognise the right to strike as a critical aspect of freedom of association and collective bargaining.
He said penalising workers for participating in lawful strikes amounts to a violation of these conventions and Nigeria’s labour laws.
The union leader urged the government to prioritise dialogue, uphold existing collective bargaining agreements, and build trust rather than resorting to punitive measures.
“Industrial harmony cannot be achieved through threats or coercion,” he said.
“It requires mutual respect, sincerity, and adherence to agreements that have been jointly reached.”
The statement comes weeks after a circular from the Federal Government instructing vice-chancellors of federal universities to enforce the no-work-no-pay directive against Academic Staff Union of Universities members currently on strike.
The Nigeria Labour Congress also condemned the directive, describing it as harassment of organised labour.
Adeyemi emphasised that workers’ protests should not be mistaken for rebellion, but recognised as efforts to seek fairness and better working conditions.
“No one is more patriotic than the Nigerian worker. Despite poor pay and unfulfilled promises, workers continue to build and sustain this nation,” he said.
He appealed to authorities to adopt fairness, good faith negotiations, and respect for labour rights as the basis for a just and democratic industrial relations system.
