The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on Monday, gave the federal government until end of the month to meet the unions’ outstanding demands, or it would embark on industrial action.
Josiah Biobelemoye, JOHESU’s National Chairman, said in Lagos, that government had failed to adjust college skills for its members.
Biobelemoye also said that the government had withheld April and May
2018 salaries of some union members that participated in the last
strike.
Other demands by the body include the struggle for recognition of consultancy cadre for eligible health workers and other outstanding allowances.
The five affiliate unions of JOHESU are the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals and Medical and Health Workers’ Union
Others include the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions and Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria.
“There is a time limit which should have been 21 days, but now, it is over six months because there are still some issues that are unresolved,” the JOHESU chairman said.
He accused the government of breaching its agreement with the unions
after the last year’s strike, that none of its members should be
sanctioned.
“Non-payment of salary during strike was not part of the memorandum of understanding we signed with the government.
“We also have valid order of courts on our outstanding allowances; rather, the Federal Ministry of Health, through various hospital managements, illegally paid the arrears to medical doctors.
“Medical doctors are not our members, and not entitled to these allowances because they were legitimately appropriated for us; which really need to be addressed,” he added.
Josiah said that appointments of heads in the Ministry of Health were only favourable to medical doctors.
“Meeting health workers’ demands are not essential, but when we plan going on strike, the government would say health is an essential service to get Nigerians’ sympathy,” he further said.
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