The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has criticised the Federal Government over what it described as arbitrary and intimidatory use of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy against workers, insisting that such threats will not stop unions from embarking on strikes when necessary.
Speaking in Abuja, NASU’s General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, made the assertion in a presentation titled “Recurring Threats by Government Officials to Enforce the ‘No Work, No Pay’ Policy: A Call for Justice, Collective Bargaining, and Dignity of Labour.”
Adeyemi accused government officials of repeatedly wielding Section 42(1)(a) of the Trade Disputes Act as a weapon of intimidation rather than a fair legal provision. He noted that the clause, which stipulates that workers on strike are not entitled to wages during that period, has been misused to suppress legitimate industrial actions and silence the collective voice of workers.
“Whenever trade unions contemplate lawful industrial action, government officials are quick to brandish the ‘No Work, No Pay’ threat,” Adeyemi said. “It has been wielded not as a tool of justice or industrial harmony, but as a weapon to delegitimise genuine struggles for fairness, dignity, and the fulfillment of agreements.”
The union leader stressed that strikes are not acts of anarchy but lawful measures of last resort, taken only after all conciliatory and negotiation channels have been exhausted. He maintained that most strike actions stem from the government’s own failure to honour agreements, implement negotiated terms, and respect labour laws.
Citing relevant sections of the Trade Disputes Act and Labour Act, Adeyemi argued that while the law provides for ‘No Work, No Pay’, it also guarantees due process and the right to collective bargaining. He further pointed out that the government’s delay or non-payment of workers’ wages violates Section 15 of the Labour Act, which mandates that wages be paid at the end of each contract period not exceeding one month.
“The selective enforcement of ‘No Work, No Pay’ while ignoring ‘No Pay, No Work’ is hypocritical and unjust,” Adeyemi stated. “It is contrary to the principles of equity upon which industrial relations are built.”
He urged the Federal Government to engage with labour unions through genuine dialogue and good faith negotiations rather than resorting to punitive measures that undermine workers’ morale and industrial peace.
Adeyemi reaffirmed NASU’s commitment to pursuing justice, fairness, and dignity for Nigerian workers, emphasizing that the union will continue to defend the rights of its members through lawful and democratic means.