The Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Health Care Professional Association (JOHESU,) have directed their members to embark on an indefinite strike.
The National Vice President of JOHESU, Obinna Ogbonna made the announcement at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
The leadership of JOHESU had in a letter dated May 9, 2023, issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over alleged inconsistencies of the government in the ongoing negotiations to adjust the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for health workers on their platforms.
The 15-day ultimatum commenced on May 10, 2023, and will expire at midnight on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
The organization which serves as an umbrella body of health workers’ unions and associations, accused the government of shifting from their agreed terms and rules of engagement relating to non-discrimination in the determination of the wages and benefit packages of health workers in Nigeria.
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.
Other demands include, payments of all withheld salaries of its 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.
