Health Workers Presurize To Commence Nationwide Strike

Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals have threatened to go on a nationwide strike from September 13 if the Federal government fails to address all their demands.

The National Chairman of the Joint Health Workers Union, JOHESU, Bio Josiah, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja today September 7, listed their demands to include the immediate payment of the shortfall in the COVID-19 allowances of non-clinical staff in the Federal Health institutions presently pegged at 10 per cent to the agreed 50 per cent of basic salaries paid to all clinical staff in the FHIs.

The union is also demanding that states and LGAs that have not domesticated the COVID-19 allowances for their clinical and non-clinical health workers to abide by the agreement without further delay to avoid the breakdown of industrial harmony in their health sector.

“We demand unconditional payment of all withheld salaries at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, JUTH, LUTH and the complement of April and May 2018 salaries.

“States and Local Governments are urged to unconditionally pay all outstanding salaries. States are urged to conclude minimum wage negotiations and implementation.'' Bio said

The association also demands that the FG, states, and local government areas must come up with COVID-19 palliatives for the citizens while improving service delivery and remedial measures to combat failing and decaying infrastructural facilities.

“If the Federal Government does not meet these demands by midnight of September 13, 2020, JOHESU will have no other choice than to commence a nationwide seven-day warning strike of our members in all the Federal Health Institutions.

The states and LG health institutions are placed on red alert for possible entry into the fray if the FG foot-drags in attending to our demands.” Bio said

 The medical workers are also demanding that the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, to take over the negotiations between them and the FG from the substantive Minister Senator Chris Ngige, whom they have accused of compromise.