STRIKE CALLED OFF

Health Workers Call Off 7-day-old Strike

Joint Health Workers' Union of Nigeria
(JOHESU) has called off the strike it embarked
upon on Wednesday, Aug. 21 to push for
improved welfare of the workers.
The minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka
Wogu announced this on Tuesday in Abuja,
after a 12 hour closed-door meeting with the
union leaders.
He said the strike was suspended based on an
agreement reached between the Federal
Government and the union.
"We have reached an understanding after a
lengthy deliberation which started yesterday
and we resumed at 8 O'clock in the morning
today.
"We were able to reach an understanding
which has been signed and based on that
understanding the unions have agreed to
suspend the strike which was embarked upon,"
he said.
The President of JOHESU, Dr Ayuba Wabba,
said the union decided to suspend the strike
based on the agreement it had with the federal
government.
"As enumerated by the Minister of Labour and
Productivity, the Joint Health Sector Union as
you are aware embarked on an industrial
action based on some grievances.
"Painstakingly we have looked at these issues
and through the process of collective
bargaining we have been able to come to
conclusion.
"We on this side of the divide are convinced
that all the issues in dispute have been
addressed.
"Arising from this agreement the industrial
action that we have embarked upon is hereby
suspended.
"This is to give room to full implementation of
the agreement that has been signed today," he
said.
He expressed optimism that the demand of the
union would be met in the next two weeks or
one month agreed upon by the two parties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that at the end of the meeting, a five-page
Memorandum of Understanding was signed by
the federal government and representatives of
the unions.
Issues deliberated upon included the
constitution of board of management of
Teaching Hospitals, retirement age and
implementation of 2008 Job Evaluation Report.
Others are: promotion from CONHESS 14 to
CONHESS 15 and constitution of a presidential
committee to see to the implementation of the
agreement.
The meeting, which commenced at 10:00 a.m.
after the Minister of Labour and Productivity,
Emeka Wogu, addressed newsmen did not end
until 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
The negotiation, which commenced on
Monday, Aug. 26, ended inconclusively, while
Wogu promised that the parties would
reconvene on Tuesday, Aug. 27, by 8:00a.m.
In attendance at the meeting were: Wogu;
Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu;
President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
Abdulwaheed Omar; TUC President, Bala
Kaigama; President of JOHESU, Wabba; and
other representatives of JOHESU.
JOHESU had proceeded on an indefinite strike
action from 12 midnight of Wednesday, Aug.
21, following inability of federal government to
resolve some issues between it and health
workers. [NAN]
Posted