Health workers have threatened indefinite industrial action if agreements reached between them and Federal Government are not implemented by October 8.

The duo of Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals want government to set up a committee to consider allowances, including for excess work load, health and safety responsibility.  This is coming after medical doctors under the aegis of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) only suspended their strike last month after staying away from work for almost three months.

A committee for collective bargaining will also consider reducing taxation on the salaries of health workers and restoring their working days as annual leave, the associations demand. In a 15-point ultimatum issued yesterday, JOHESU and AHCP said their members on CONHESS 14 in federal hospitals had not been promoted to 15 as directors despite staying on the same level for up to 15 years. JOHESU last embarked on strike in January.

They also want government to issue a circular on adjusted salary agreed earlier this year and pay workers at least two months arrears while including the balance in 2015 budget. But they want “immediate and full payment on arrears” of salaries for CONHESS 10 workers that had been outstanding since 2010. 

Other than pay, according to the group’s secretary Yusuf Badmus, they demand government to release circulars institutionalising a harmonised scheme of service and internship for nurses and midwives, get more representation on the board of federal hospitals and define the functions of honorary consultants there, who should be replaced by hospital-based consultants.