Communique Of The JOHESU National Leadership Meeting Of Thursday November 6, 2014 At The MHWUN House Abuja

 

Released 10th November 2014

 

The Joint Health Sector Unions National Leadership  met with representatives of the Federal Government under the auspices of a follow up meeting to earlier interventions by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim. Subsequent to this the JOHESU National Leadership met and resolved thus:

 

Background

- At our penultimate meeting with the secretary to the Government of the Fedration and other representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the lingering issues in contention regarding our unions members, Secretary to the Government of the Federal Government craved for our indulgence to enable him ensure that concreate steps would be taken to redress the situation within 2 weeks i.e by the end of October.

- Most of these issues wich we had hitherto won on the bi-partite platform of negotiations and entered duly signed Collective Agreements on, have equally been rulled on in our favour by the National Industrial Court. But the Federal Ministry of health in particular and Government side in general have been using delay tactics to stall their implementation.

 

- Instead of a meeting being fixed for the end of October, we were initially invited for the meeting on November 13th by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity. We protested to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on this and recommended November 6 at the least. He graciously listened and the meeting held.

 

- Unfortunately at the meeting, the Fed. Govt. side instead of upholding the rapprochment spirit of Secretary to the Government of the Federation's intervention, continued with its tactics of fillbusting.

 

- Essentially the position of the Fed. Govt. side can be summed up as being long on promisses, but hollow in the extent of substance. This is obviously a case of one step forward four steps backward.

 

For the avoidance of doubts the issues at stake as the whole world is very much aware of, are:

a. Non promotion of our members from salary CONHESS 14-15 as directors having stayed for 4-15 years on the same salary level without promotion in most Federal Tertiary Hospitals.

ii. 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 accomodated in the 2015 budget.

iii. Immediate release of the circular on extension of retirement age to be backdated to February 2014 when the issue was presented to the National Council on establishment.

iv. Immediate and full payment of arrears of salaries of CONHESS 10 skipping outstanding since the year 2010.

v. Payment of arrears of specialist allowance to qualified hospital based professionals with effect from 1st January 2010 in line with the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) ruling.

vi. Addressing the lopsidedness in the membership of Boards of Management of Tertiary Hospitals.

vii. Need to define the Functions and power of honourary consultants in Teaching Hospitals and the need to appoint more Hospital Based Consultants instead of Honourary Consultants.

viii. Release of harmonised scheme of service for Nurses and Midwives in line with the NICN ruling.

 

 Of all these cogent items, which we reiterate, have been resolved on through the time tested social dialogue mechanisms of Colloective Bargaining the only one that was substantially resolved on is that of Circularizing the enactment of consultant status and specialist allowances across board for health professional.

 

RESOLUTION:

In the light of the foregoing, we are constrained to unequivocally state thus:

 

a. We reject the foisted conclusion of the November 6, 2014 meeting in its entirety.

b. We say Enough is Enough rearding the obvious lack of good faith demonstrated thus far by the Fedearal Government in negotiations on the issues at stake.

c. We have been overly patient but being longsuffering has its limits. We have now arrived at a junction of decision.

d. 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.

e. The Industrial action will be indefinite i.e it will not be called off until our demands are fully met.

 

Yours Faithfully

Com (Dr) Ayuba P. Wabba mni

Chairman, JOHESU

 

Com. Yusuf-Badmus W.G

Secretary, JOHESU

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