Health workers issue fresh strike threat

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike, if the government fails to meet with all its demands.

The strike, which is scheduled to commence from midnight of tomorrow, however, means that all members of JOHESU will withdraw their services across all federal tertiary health institutions in the country.

This was contained in a communiqué issued and signed by the national president of the union, Ayuba Wabba and the secretary, Yusuf Badmus, after a meeting between the union and representative of the Federal Government, on November 6.

 The communiqué stated: “In the light of the foregoing we are constrained to unequivocally state thus: We reject the foisted conclusion of the November 6, 2014 meeting in its entirety.

 “We say “Enough is Enough” regarding the obvious lack of good faith demonstrated thus far by the Federal Government in negotiations on the issues at stake.

 “We have been overly patient, but being long suffering has its limits. We have now arrived at a juncture of decision.

 “If by midnight on Wednesday, November 12, 2014, our demands have not been met, all members of JOHESU will withdraw their services across all federal tertiary health institutions in the country.

‘‘The industrial action will be indefinite, i.e it will not be called off until our demands are fully met.’’

The union listed some of their demands to include the immediate release of circular on adjustment of salary since January 2014 and immediate payment of at least two months arrears while the remaining is paid after being accommodated in the 2015 budget.

Their demands also include the immediate release of the circular on extension of retirement age to be back-dated to February, 2014, when the issue was presented to the National Council on Establishment and immediate and full payment of arrears of salaries of CONHESS 10 skipping outstanding since 2010.

Others include payment of arrears of specialist allowance to qualified hospital-based professionals, with effect from January 1, 2010, in line with the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) ruling and others. 

source: tribune