Crisis looms as JOHESU threatens fresh nationwide strike on May 8

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The relative industrial peace presently being enjoyed in the nation’s health sector may be short lived if the Joint Health Sector Unions goes ahead with its nationwide strike scheduled for May 8.

The Union based its threat on the refusal of the Federal Government to accede to its 15-point demands, while several efforts to have a one-on-one meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan have yielded no positive response. The health workers, therefore, offered a last reminder to meet the president before his tenure winds down on May 29, warning that everything should be done by stakeholders to avert the looming strike.

The Vice President of JOHESU and President of National Union of Allied Health Professionals, Mr. Felix Faniran, issued the threat on Tuesday in a directive to the union’s members nationwide.

He said, “Dear all, kindly refer to the outcome of the last JOHESU leaders meeting, which was held on Thursday April 23 at Abuja as a follow-up to the earlier meeting of April 14, where a decision was taken to request an audience to see Mr. President for immediate implementation of our 15-point demands as promised by Mr. President to the union’s leadership when he met us on February 1.

“Since there was no response, it was further resolved that a reminder be sent to Mr. President to meet our demands on or before April 30. Should this fail, the leaders shall meet on May 1 and declare a nationwide industrial strike with effect from May 8, 2015. It is hoped that everything possible shall be done to avert the impending strike”.

It would be recalled that JOHESU suspended its over two-month old strike in February following a meeting with President Jonathan.

The union embarked on strike in November 214 after failing to get government to implement its agreement concerning welfare for health workers.

Then National President of JOHESU now President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Dr. Ayuba Wabba, had said Jonathan had pleaded for time to review their demands with a promise to implement them accordingly.