Health workers call NEC meeting, may suspend strike

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Health workers call NEC meeting, may suspend strike

The National Executive Council of the Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association will meet on Monday to discuss its ongoing indefinite strike, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

The representatives of the unions had on Thursday met with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Federal Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders in a bid to address their demands.

The unions embarked on an indefinite strike on May 25 to press home their demands. The strike has hampered hospital services across Federal Government hospitals in the country.

The health workers are demanding the immediate approval and implementation of the technical committee report on Consolidated Health Salary Structure Adjustment by the Federal Government, and the immediate payment of the omission and shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances of affected health workers in federal health institutions.

They are also demanding the recognition of support health workers in hospital facilities in the payment of the new hazard allowance and the payment and inculcation of peculiar allowances to health workers under the aegis of JOHESU/AHPA.

Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, the National Vice Chairman of JOHESU, Dr Obinna Ogbonna, said the NEC would decide whether they were satisfied with what the government was offering or not.

Dr Ogbonna did not, however, disclose the unions’ discussions and agreements with the government.

He said, “We are having our National Executive Council meeting on Monday. What the government has brought to the table will be discussed, and decisions will be taken by the NEC members.

“We will decide if we will continue or call off the strike. The NEC members will decide whether what the government is offering is okay or not.”