The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations have given the federal government (FG) a 15-day strike ultimatum over federal disagreements in ongoing negotiations to adjust an integrated medical wage structure for health workers.
This was announced on Friday in a letter to the Federal Ministry of Health signed by the National Secretary, Matthew Ajorotu.
Trade unions noted that the ministry has tended to deviate from agreed terms and work rules regarding non-discrimination in setting wages and benefits for health workers in Nigeria.
According to the association,
“the recent communication from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) which attempted to sabotage the laudable report of the Technical Committee on the Adjustment of CONHESS as was done for CONMESS, by claiming its implementation would distort existing CONMESS relativity with CONHESS.”
While highlighting their demands, the unions called on the federal government to consolidate on Health Salary Structure as agreed in terms of the settlement of September 2017, which had lingered since 2014.
They also urged the government to pay peculiar allowance to health workers “under the aegis of JOHESU/AHP” as well as the immediate and unconditional implementation of the Consultant Cadre circular of pharmacists in all federal health Institutions.
Furthermore,
Other demands include
“payment of all withheld salaries of our members in Federal Medical Center in Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and their withheld April and May 2018 Salaries; speedy adjustment of retirement age from 60 – 65 years and the exclusion of some health workers in the payment of new hazard allowance as well as payment of COVID-19 allowance balance.”
While demanding a negotiation of the peculiar allowance, the unions added that
“the planned 25% review on CONHESS will only widen the existing relativity with CONMESS to our disadvantage while also distorting albeit significantly the supposed edge over general salary scales in Public Service.”
“If the Federal Government does not stick to tenets of due process spelt in our rules of engagement since the commencement of negotiations on the Adjustment of CONHESS as was done for CONMESS and the other lingering demands as highlighted above within the 15 day window, it would be clear that it is the Federal Government that should be held responsible for the fall-outs of a possible strike,”
cc: Punch Ng
