Health Workers Begin Indefinite Strike Again.

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu 

Health workers commenced indefinite strike in all Federal Government owned hospitals nationwide today.

Now what is it again you would ask, this is the story so far...........

The workers blamed the strike on the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, whom they accused of failing to implement the recent ruling of National Industrial Court, NIC, on the prolonged crises and refusing to honour a subsequent peace deal.

The workers had advised the minister “to give life to the NIC’s judgement by immediately complying with the ruling and decisions of the court within 21 days”, failing to do so led to the industrial strike.

The unions and government had on July 16, 2012 agreed that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, refer the conflicts to the NIC for adjudication, in pursuant of the powers conferred on him under Section 17 of the Trade Disputes Act Cap. T8 LFN 2004. Issues brought before the court were: “Non-skipping of Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS 10; National Health Bill; consultancy and specialist allowance and call/shift and other professional allowances.”

The Ministry of Health had allegedly written a circular, ordering reversion of non-medically qualified health professionals previously appointed as consultants and allegedly described skipping of CONHESS10 as illegal. The court, headed by Justice B. A. Adejumo, had ruled that “the directive by the Federal Ministry of Health that non-medically qualified health professionals previously appointed as consultants be reverted immediately is invalid and hence unlawful… “That concerning all members of JOHESU, who were appointed as consultants but whose appointments have now been reverted, the reversion of such appointments is hereby declared null and void and of no effect.”

For further detail visit: http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/health-workers-begin-indefinite-strike/