We are not paying JOHESU strike workers any arrears - FG
- Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) who have been on strike since April 17 would not be paid their salaries, the federal government has said
- A ‘No work, no pay’ policy had been implemented by the government, thereby stopping the April and May salaries of the striking workers
- The union, which includes all health professionals excluding medical doctors, had declared a nationwide strike on April 17
Prof. Isaac Adewole, the minister of health, on Wednesday, May 30, said that the federal government would not pay members of the JOHESU who have been on strike since April 17, The Punch reports.
Legit.ng gathered that Adewole, during a telephone interview, said workers would be paid for the work done from April 1 till April 17.
Justice Sanusi Kado of the National Industrial Court in Abuja had earlier ordered the union to call off its strike latest Friday.
JOHESU, which comprises all health professionals excluding medical doctors, had declared a nationwide strike on April 17, 2018, despite pleas from the federal government.
The federal government consequently implemented a ‘No work, no pay’ policy thereby stopping the April and May salaries of the striking workers.
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However, the minister said for every day that the JOHESU workers embarked on a strike, there would be no pay.
He said: “We are not paying them any arrears. We will only pay them for the 17 days they worked in April. However, any health official who worked during the strike would be paid in full. Some of them actually worked all through the strike.”
Chiemelie Ogbonna, the vice-president of JOHESU, in an interview with journalists said the union would abide by the court order and call off its strike by Friday, June 1, 2018.
The president of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah, later on Wednesday, in an interview with journalists after a meeting with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said negotiations were still going on.
Last week, Saraki had begun his mediation between the government and JOHESU over the ongoing strike by the workers which has crippled Nigeria’s public health care facilities for the past 40 days.
The Senate President had held a meeting with JOHESU’s leadership on Thursday afternoon and later on Friday morning with the Minister of Labour, Productivity and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige and the Minister of Health.
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Legit.ng previously reported that the minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Monday, May 28, directed the governing boards of federal tertiary health institutions to convene emergency meetings and order striking health workers to return to work.
The federal ministry of health said in a statement noted that the minister gave the directive during an emergency meeting with chief medical directors and medical directors of tertiary hospitals in Abuja on Monday.
Boade Akinola, director media and public relations of the ministry, who signed the statement, explained that the emergency meeting was to review the status of services being rendered in view of the on-going strike by JOHESU members.
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Source: Legit.ng
