There was no lock-out in the technical sense, but owing to a misunderstanding of instructions by a subordinate official, the gates of the railway workshop were not opened on the morning of 29th September until about half an hour after the usual time. Earlier in the year the Railway Workers' Union made certain requests to the Railway Administration for improvements in their terms of service. The decision of the Nigerian Government on those requests was conveyed to the union on 6th May and was well received. There was, however, delay in the preparation by the Railway Administration of a detailed explanatory statement of the Government's scheme. Nevertheless that statement was, in fact, sent to the union a week before the scheme was due to become operative. The detailed decisions were rejected, primarily because they were not understood. At a mass meeting of all employees on 29th September, the improvements were carefully explained by the Governor, and work was resumed in full on 30th September. An explanatory statement by Government was issued to the men on 4th October.