The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to urgently resolve outstanding salary and other demands by health workers to prevent another industrial crisis in the nation’s health sector.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call in a letter dated Aug. 6 and addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment. The letter, which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, raised concerns over delays in adjusting the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and resolving outstanding demands by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
Ajaero said JOHESU members had faced prolonged delays despite Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), terms of agreement and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) reached with the government.
“Years after signing MoUs, terms of agreement and CBAs, in addition to promises and assurances from appropriate authorities, members of JOHESU have been ignored or abandoned,” Ajaero said.
He urged the government to immediately resume collective bargaining negotiations with JOHESU and encourage the Presidential Committee on Salaries to address the outstanding issues.
The NLC president also expressed concern over what he described as discriminatory practices and the human cost of prolonged industrial disputes in the health sector.
“It needs no telling that the consequences of a complete breakdown in negotiations are quite grave,” Ajaero said.
He stressed that the appeal should not be interpreted as a threat but warned that the NLC would fully support JOHESU if the union was compelled to take further action.
“We strongly urge that you do all that is within your power to ensure immediate resumption of the collective agreement negotiation,” he said.
Ajaero called on the Federal Government to demonstrate stronger commitment to resolving the outstanding issues and preventing another industrial crisis in the health sector.
