The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) have put their strike notice earlier scheduled to commence on Monday night on hold to allow the Federal Government to update the unions on its demands. The unions took the decision at the end of an emergency meeting of the expanded National Executive Council of JOHESU and AHPA on Monday.

In a communique at the end of the meeting last night by Ag. National Secretary of JOHESU, Comrade Mathew Ajorutu, on behalf of National Chairman of JOHESU, the unions said the outcome of a meeting with the Federal Government on Wednesday will determine whether if they will proceed on strike or not.

The leadership of JOHESU said it reasoned that it was necessary to give the Federal Government a conducive environment to present an update on developments with regards to the major demands of the unions, especially in the area of adjustment of CONHESS as it was done with CONMESS while also showing evidence-based data of the circularisation of the redress of all highlighted service delivery challenges peculiar to members of JOHESU.

“In a bid to avoid an endless circus show, the leadership of JOHESU needs to make it unambiguously clear that the meeting with the Federal Government on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 will be the ultimate litmus test to evaluate the seriousness of the Federal Government to resolve once and for all, the tortuous subject matter of adjustment of CONHESS which has lingered since January 2, 2014 (almost 8 years) now and also determine the depth of industrial harmony in the health sector.

“Finally, NEC-in-Session unanimously adopts a resolution to put on hold the notice of strike action due to expire mid-night today, 4th October, 2021 and wait for the outcome of the meeting with Federal Government on 6th October, 2021 before issuing a fresh notice of fifteen days,” the communique partly reads.

The expanded NEC lauded the Federal Government for the marginal paradigm shift in resolving some of its demands particularly as it relates to the on-going payment of outstanding COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance.

Source: The Nation