Health workers to embark on industrial action Monday

A group of health workers under the umbrella of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) are set to embark on an industrial action on Monday, 6 March, 2017, should the Federal Government fail to heed their demands.

The National General Secretary, Comrade Obisesan O. A, made the disclosure in a statement made available to Saturday Tribune.

The date of the planned strike action was scheduled following the extension of the 30-day ultimatum, which elapsed on 27 February, 2017, to 6 March, 2017.

Obisesan said the extension of the 30-day ultimatum issued to the federal government was consequent upon the recent engagement of the union with the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Head of Service, Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission on measures to reach acceptable grounds.

Obisesan said that the union will commence the planned strike action in the event that the outcome of the meetings with the federal government fails to tick the right boxes.

The statement reads: “You would recall that our union issued a 30-day strike ultimatum to the government for willfully ignoring the plight of our members and inflicting pains on Nigerians. The ultimatum is expected to elapse on 27 February, 2017.

“A meeting was scheduled with the Union on Thursday, 23 February, 2017, at the instance of the Ministry of Labour and Employment at the Federal Ministry of Labour conference room with the representatives from Head of Service, Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission where the union was asked to shift ground on the strike action based on the fact that a high level body was already meeting on the matters in contention.

“The representatives of the union told the meeting that they will report the outcome to their principals and communicate appropriately.

“It was unanimously agreed that the strike ultimatum be shifted by one week to enable the government communicate the outcome of the high level body meeting to the union with a view to averting the strike action.”

“In the light of the above the new date for the commencement of the strike action is Monday, 6th March, 2017.

“All members are hereby put on notice to withdraw their services with effect from 12:01am 27th February, 2017 until otherwise instructed.”