JOHESU suspends strike for three weeks, after meeting Tinubu
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (JOHESU) has suspended its indefinite strike for 21 days. The Union embarked on strike on May 25 following collapse of talks with the federal government over welfare and sundry issues.
JOHESU is the umbrella body of health workers’ unions and associations, including the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, and Senior Staff Association of Universities’ Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, and AHPA.
The suspension was announced after the leadership of the unions held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
The Acting National Secretary, Matthew Ajirotu, in a text message to The Punch, said the president promised to approve their demands.
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He said, “JOHESU has just suspended its strike with a caveat to review it after 21 days.
“We met President Tinubu today at a 1-hour parley and he promised to give approval to the demands after further consultations with appropriate quarters in government.”
The Union had in a letter dated May 9, 2023, JOHESU 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 organization which serves as an umbrella body of health workers’ unions and associations, noted that the government had shown tendencies to shift 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.
The health workers are demanding the immediate approval and implementation of the Technical Committee report on CONHESS adjustment by FG; immediate payment of the omission and Shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances of affected health workers in the Federal Health Institutions and recognition of health workers in non-core hospital facilities in the payment of new hazard allowance; payment and inculcation of peculiar allowances to health workers under the aegis of JOHESU/AHPA.
The other demands are the immediate and unconditional implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant cadre, unconditional payment of all withheld salaries of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and April and May 2018 salaries of members at NOFIC, Azare; and the speedy Implementation of the Increase in Retirement Age from 60 to 65 years and 70 years for Consultants in the health professions.