Relief in Enugu as National Orthopaedic Hospital workers end strike

Workers of National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, have called off their one month old strike.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that all health workers in the facilities, except doctors, had been on strike since April 24.

The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions (JACTU) of the hospital, Mr Cyprian Orjinta, announced the suspension of the strike in a statement made available to NAN in Enugu.

“Following a successful meeting between the management of National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu and  JACTU held on Thursday, May 25, which was followed by the Congress of the Union on May 27, the Union hereby suspends the current strike with effect from Tuesday, May 30.

“Accordingly, workers have been directed to resume work from 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 30.

“We thank all well-meaning Nigerians whose interventions contributed in the resolution of this crisis,’’ Orjinta said.

NAN recalls that the JACTU embarked on the strike to protest payment of half salaries to its members since the beginning of 2017.

The union also alleged that the entire staff of the hospital did not receive salaries for the month of October, 2016.

The workers claimed that their colleagues in the National Orthopaedic hospitals in Lagos and Kano had no salary payment challenge.

In addition, the union said that the monetary increment based on CONHESS placement and promotion given and due to their members were yet to be paid or implemented after many years.