Health workers begin indefinite strike today.



According to the National Mirror, health workers will embark on an indefinite strike in all Federal Government owned hospitals nationwide today. The action follows a warning issued to the Federal Government by the workers’ unions three weeks ago over the unresolved crisis affecting the sector.
The workers, under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, made this known to National Mirror yesterday in a statement signed. The statement was signed by the National President, Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, Dr. Ayuba Wabba; Secretary-General, Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Marcus Omokhuale; President, National Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, A. A. Adeniji and Acting General Secretary, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Yusuf Badmus.
The workers blamed the strike on the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, whom they accused of failing to implement the recent ruling of National Industrial Court, NIC, on the prolonged crises and refusing to honour a subsequent peace deal. The workers had advised the minister “to give life to the NIC’s judgement by immediately complying with the ruling and decisions of the court within 21 days” failing which they could not guarantee industrial peace and harmony. The unions and government had on July 16, 2012 agreed that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, refer the conflicts to the NIC for adjudication, in pursuant of the powers conferred on him under Section 17 of the Trade Disputes Act Cap. T8 LFN 2004. Issues brought before the court were: “Non-skipping of Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS 10; National Health Bill; consultancy and specialist allowance and call/shift and other professional allowances.”
The Ministry of Health had allegedly written a circular, ordering reversion of non-medically qualified health professionals previously appointed as consultants and allegedly described skipping of CONHESS10 as illegal. The court, headed by Justice B. A. Adejumo, had ruled that “the directive by the Federal Ministry of Health that non-medically qualified health professionals previously appointed as consultants be reverted immediately is invalid and hence unlawful… “That concerning all members of JOHESU, who were appointed as consultants but whose appointments have now been reverted, the reversion of such appointments is hereby declared null and void and of no effect.” The judges also held that “the directive by the Federal Ministry of Health that CONHESS 10 should not be skipped is declared null and void and of no effect” and that “the status quo that permitted the skipping of CONHESS 10 shall accordingly remain the norm unless it is appropriately negotiated by the parties.” While the workers told the court that they would seek other means to pursue their disagreement with the Health Bill currently with the National Assembly, the court directed both parties to apply the clause of collective agreement reached on May 10, 2012 “to the letter”. The same applied to Administrative Allowance and Administrative Non-Clinical Allowance, which were part of the issues raised in the suit. JOHESU requested, among other demands, that those earlier appointed as consultants would continue to enjoy the status with all benefits and the withdrawal of their letters of appointment was irregular, null and void.
It, therefore demanded that they should be allowed to return to their hitherto status with full pay and arrears. JOHESU is currently seeking, among others, “the implementation of Presidential Committee Report on Harmony in the Health Sector; promotion of health professionals from CONHESS 14 to 15; request for implementation of 2008 Job Evaluation Committee Report; review of the retirement age from 60 to 65 years and reconstitution of boards of federal teaching and specialist hospitals with equitable representation of union and professional associations.”


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