Health workers, under the umbrella of the Joint Health Workers Unions, have written to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Finance, demanding an upward adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure.
JOHESU is a coalition of four registered trade unions in the health sector.
The constituting unions are the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria; the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals; the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals and Associated Institutions; and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions.
The Consolidated Health Salary Structure is the salary structure for health workers in pharmacy, medical laboratory science, among others.
The union, on Tuesday, said it might resume its suspended strike if positive action was not taken by the Federal Government regarding the salary structure.
The health workers in May last year embarked on a strike but suspended it after day 12 on June 5, 2023, following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the National Secretary of JOHESU, Martins Egbanubi, said the union was following up with the necessary ministries, departments, and agencies, and the Presidency on the matter, but there was no positive feedback yet.
“This has been the situation since last year June when we suspended our strike. The Presidential Committee on Salaries, led by the Ministers of Finance, Labour, and Director-General of the Budget Office, has been constituted, but we have not been able to get any convincing feedback from them.
“This is making our members restless, especially now that the minimum wage is being decided. We want the conversation to precede the discussion on minimum wage. We have written to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Finance.
“If the demands are not met, there is a likelihood of strike action because it was suspended upon the intervention of Mr President to honour him on the basis that he just came in but we have given him enough time. So, the likelihood of resumption of the suspended strike is possible.”
