The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has lashed out at recurring threats by Nigerian government officials to invoke the “No Work, No Pay” policy, describing it as an intimidation tactic that undermines justice, dignity of labour and the sanctity of collective bargaining.

In a strongly-worded statement, NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters A. Adeyemi, said federal authorities have turned the clause in Section 42(1)(a) of the Trade Disputes Act into a weapon against workers whenever unions contemplate lawful strike action. He argued that the provision is being quoted in bad faith and deployed as a shield for government’s habitual breach of agreements.

According to Adeyemi, “strikes are not impulsive or frivolous actions; they are the last resort, invoked only after every lawful and conciliatory avenue has been exhausted.” He noted that industrial actions often stem directly from government’s failure to honour negotiated terms and uphold labour laws.

He criticised what he called the “selective enforcement” of labour statutes. While government officials are swift to threaten workers with wage stoppage, Adeyemi said, they remain silent when the state violates Section 15 of the Labour Act by delaying or withholding salaries for months. “The selective enforcement of ‘No Work, No Pay’ while ignoring ‘No Pay, No Work’ is hypocritical, unjust and contrary to the principles of equity,” he stressed.

The union leader reminded government that Nigeria, as a member of the International Labour Organisation, is bound by global labour standards that affirm the right to strike as an essential element of freedom of association. Citing ILO Conventions 87 and 98, he argued that punitive actions against workers engaging in lawful strikes violate international norms. “When officials threaten to invoke ‘No Work, No Pay’ without acknowledging their own breach of agreements, they act contrary to both Nigerian law and international conventions,” he said.

Adeyemi also accused government of provoking the very strikes it condemns. He questioned why the same officials who brandish legal threats vanish when workers endure prolonged unpaid wages, deteriorating conditions and crumbling infrastructure. “To label workers’ legitimate struggles as acts of rebellion is to deny the very foundation of social justice,” he declared.

Painting a broader picture of the Nigerian worker’s resilience, he said no group has demonstrated more patriotism than the country’s labour force. “It is the worker who builds, maintains and sustains the nation despite poor pay and unstable conditions. Their children attend overcrowded public schools, not foreign institutions,” he noted, adding that workers carry the burden of every industrial dispute yet return diligently to restore normalcy when strikes end.

NASU insisted that the path to lasting industrial peace lies not in intimidation but in institutionalising collective bargaining and honouring agreements voluntarily signed with unions. Adeyemi called for stronger commitment from government to due process and genuine dialogue, saying the existing labour laws and ILO conventions already provide a solid framework for harmonious relations.

In a direct message to officials who repeatedly threaten workers, he said: “To those who constantly threaten us with ‘No Work, No Pay’, we say: try ‘No Pay, No Work’. Respect agreements. Honour the law. Treat workers with dignity and justice.”

He maintained that Nigeria cannot achieve industrial harmony through coercion but through mutual trust and adherence to both local and international labour standards. “It is time for the nation to rise above intimidation and embrace fairness, justice and collective dialogue as the pillars of a democratic labour relations system,” Adeyemi concluded. (Tribune)