Strike: Ministry threatens health workers on ‘no work no pay’ policy

Reacting to the announcement of an indefinite strike action by a group of health workers under the umbrella of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NAUHP) on Monday, March 6^th, 2017, The Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Wapada Balami, has said that the ministry will apply the principle of “NO work, No pay” on the striking health workers if the industrial action commences.

Balami in a telephone conversation told Nigerian Tribune called for patience and understanding by the striking health professionals, stating that the ministry was eager to dialogue with the leadership of the union on the resolutions it had reached from their previous meetings, but that the union’s leaders had snubbed an earlier scheduled meeting yesterday (Monday) for that purpose.

He also stated that the ministry has fixed Wednesday, March 8, as a new date to meet with the union.

Speaking he said, “We are calling on the union to exercise patience with the ministry. We have enormous duties on our hands. They should remember that the union is still under the ministry.

“We have tried to reach the leadership of the union to schedule a meeting on Monday, but instead of heed our call, they announced a strike action.

“In spite of the strike action, the ministry will be eager to meet with them on Wednesday so that we can discuss the resolutions of previous meetings. The ministry is open to dialogue and we encourage them to be patient to listen to us. They should not forget that we will apply the principle of ‘No work, no pay’ regardless of the strike action”.