The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has extended their deadline for the strike action which was supposed to have kicked off today.

 

This was contained in a memo made available to Nursingworld Nigeria was dated 6th June 2016 and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

 

The memo titled: RE—RESUMPTION OF STRIKE ACTION FINAL ULTIMATUM: EXTENSION BY 14 DAYS, and reads:

 

JOINT HEALTH SECTOR UNIONS & ASSEMBLY OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS 

 

Once again, please refer to our letters No. HQ/MHWUN/ADM/VOL.II/221 of 2nd February 2015, HQ/JOHESU/ADM/VOL.II/242 dated 4th April 2016, HQ/JOHESU/ADM/VOLTI/257 of 4" May, 2016 and the last one Ref. HQ/JOHESU/ADM/VOL.11/260 dated 23rd of May, 2016 wherein in the concluding part of our letter we informed the Federal Government that our members nationwide shall commence a 7 day warning strike in the first instance with effect from 7th June 2016 after the expiration of our earlier 15 days ultimatum. 

 

It is worrisome that the Federal Government can treat JOHESU that has over 95% of workers in the Health Sector membership with such utmost disdain contempt and utter disrespect. Again it baffles JOHESU that after 14days ultimatum, no evidence that any action has been taken on those issues that have been agreed upon as far back as May, 2012. 

 

We hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your letter Ref. No 3460/S.19/193 dated 11th May, 2016 but received on Friday 3rd June, 2016 by JOHESU. We wish to inform you that neither the Federal Ministry of Health nor the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has offered any tangible reason on why those issues could not be addressed and why any expedient, action could not be taken. 

 

However, the leadership of JOHFSU met again to consider the abysmal response of government, to those issues, but considered the essential service being rendered by our members which involve human lives and the untold hardship, nursingworldnigeria, which a strike action will bring on Nigerians, therefore, further resolved to give the Federal Government opportunity of and ample chance to reconsider its position on implementing those various agreements entered into and court judgments secured by JOHESU and its unions. 

 

It should be noted however, that JOHESU cannot continue to shift the execution of the strike adinitum while government continues to treat our issues with disdain, and at the same time seen implementing agreements reached with other professionals. 

 

As will be recalled, the issues in contention are matters which agreements have been reached and needs implementation, and court judgments secured by JOHESU and its member unions such as; 

i. Issuance of the implementation circular on Salary Adjustment as done for the Medical Doctors. 

 

ii. Payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 skipping to our members. The payment of these arrears had commenced during the time of Alhaji Goni Aji, the former Head of Civil Service of the Federation. 

 

iii. Issuance of circular for the implementation of Specialist Allowance for our members in line with 2009 agreement. 

 

iv. Issuance of circular on already agreed upward review of retirement age to 65 years as applicable to our counterparts in the universities in line with Onosode Commission report of 1981. 

 

v. Federal Government should implement all our Agreements of 10' may, 2012, namely; 

a. Full implementation of IAP and Court Judgements of 1981, 1991 and 2012 respectively in favour of NANNM. 

b. Full implementation of various court judgments in favour of Medical Laboratory Scientists with an enabling circular. 

c. Promotion of those stagnating Assistant directors/Deputy Directors to post of Directors. 

d. 2008 Job Evaluation Report e. Composition of Boards of Tertiary Health Institutions to give equitable representation to Registered Trade unions

 

Signed

. Com. Biobelemoye Josaih

National President MHWUN

Com Silas Adamu

Ag. Secretary General MHWUN

. Com. Adeniji A. A

National President NANNM

Com Shetima Thomas A

Ag. Secretary General NANNM

. Com. (Dr.) B. A. Akintola 

President SSAUTHRAI

Com. Akinade M. O

General Secretary SSAUTHRAI

. Com. Chris Ani

National President NASU

Com. Peters Adeyemi

General Secretary NASU

. Com. (Dr.) G. C. Okara

President AHPA