Health Workers to Begin Nationwide Strike Tomorrow

Unless the federal government meets the demand of health workers in the next 24 hours, the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) will tomorrow commence a nationwide strike.

The strike threat is coming at the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued by the union in March to the federal government.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, national president of JOHESU, Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah urged all members of the union both at state and local government health institutions to mobilise to down tools from 12 midnight of Tuesday.

Josiah accused the government of insensitivity and lackadaisical towards the plight of health workers.

He recalled that JOHESU suspended her last nationwide strike action on September 30th, 2017 after the signing of memorandum of Terms of Settlement which was to be implemented within five weeks after the suspension of the strike.

He said, “It is disheartening to note that after six months of the suspension of our last strike and still counting, the federal government has not done anything tangible over the pending issues, especially on the flagship issue of CONHESS adjustment and payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 skipping.”

According to him, JOHESU had initially given a 21-day notice on 5th February, 2018, to enable the federal government to do the needful. He said at the expiration of the 21 days notice, the leadership of the union met and issued another 30 working days ultimatum to alert the government of the impending strike.

He explained that on Thursday, April 5, 2018, the minister of Labour and Employment, invited the leadership of JOHESU to a meeting wherein they were told that their issues were still being looked into.

He said, “Consequent upon this, therefore, JOHESU has no other choice than to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike action as from midnight of Tuesday, 17th April, 2018, when the 30-working days is expected to expire.”