JOHESU Begins Indefinite Strike Today

The Joint Health Sector Unions, (JOHESU) on Monday commenced its industrial action following the inability of the government to meet its demands.

The decision was reached after a meeting of it’s expanded National Executive Council on Saturday.

THE WHISTLER had reported that the union on Saturday issued a strike warning to the federal government after they failed to reach an agreement with the government.

In a three-paragraph letter dated September 12 with ref. No. HO/JOHESU/ADM/FMoH/VOL.I/58, entitled: “Re: Notice of 15-day ultimatum/outcome of JOHESU expanded NEC meeting”, the unions stated that the decision was conceived unanimously since nothing concrete was achieved at the said meeting with the Federal Government.

The statement read in part, “You would recall that at the end of the meeting held in your office on Thursday, September 10 2020, JOHESU demanded that the outcome of the meeting between JOHESU and the Federal Government be reported back to our expanded NEC meeting and give feedback to the Federal government within 48 hours.

“In the light of the above, the meeting of our expanded NEC was held today, Saturday, September 12 2020. And at the end of the meeting, which was held both physically and virtually, it was unanimously agreed that since nothing concrete was achieved at the said meeting with the Federal Government, that the strike notice is still germane and alive.

“Therefore, the 15-day ultimatum still subsists and with effect from midnight of Sunday, September 13 2020, our members shall withdraw their services due to Federal Government inability to meet their demands. Kindly accept the assurances of our high esteem.”

The memo sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, was signed by JOHESU President, Biobelemoye Josiah; Secretary-General, Dr Silas Adamu; President of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, Dr Benjamin Akintola; General Secretary, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, Martin Egbanubi, among others.

FG Reacts, Says Strike Is Illegal

Following the strike notice on Saturday, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had reacted saying it had “apprehended the dispute” with the ongoing conciliation initiated on September 10, which makes the industrial action “illegal, unnecessary, and ill-timed”.

The ministry said such action is a breach of the International Labour Organisation Principles and Conventions on Strike and sec. 18 of the Trades Disputes Act, Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The ministry urged the union not to intimidate the federal government “that has shown a clear commitment to tackling the challenges in the sector as evidenced by the huge resources it has been pouring into the sector since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

“Any strike now is inimical to an equitable settlement of the dispute, bearing in mind, especially, that this is a grave period of a pandemic where the Federal Government has spent about N20 billion to pay April/May 2020 and an additional N8.9b for June 2020 on COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowances, respectively, to all categories of health workers that are mainly JOHESU members,” the ministry said.