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Tag: Indefinite Strike

  • NLC declares indefinite strike in Nasarawa

    NLC declares indefinite strike in Nasarawa

    The Organised Labour in Nasarawa State has declared an indefinite strike to begin Tuesday, June 15.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Yusuf Iya made the announcement on Tuesday at the Labour House in Lafia, the state capital.

    He said the decision to embark on the indefinite strike was reached after a meeting of the state executive council held on Tuesday.

    The labour unions are demanding implementation of promotions which they say have lingered for over a decade, implementation of annual increments, training among others.

    “You would recall that after the 21-day and seven-day ultimatums we issued elapsed on Wednesday, June 9 2021 and we are supposed to commence three days warning strike, but stayed action due to the intervention of the traditional rulers.

    “In view of that, the Organised Labour held an emergency meeting today Monday, 14th June 2021 and resolved that, since all the necessary protocols were followed in order to pursue our legitimate demands from the government to see the need to pay the last tranche of August 2016, implement our promotions of over a decade and conclude the national minimum wage negotiation, but which turns futile,” Iya said while addressing journalists on Tuesday.

    The Organize Labour therefore enjoined all workers to proceed on indefinite strike action as from Tuesday 15th June, 2021 immediately until an amicable resolution is reached with the Government on our demands”

    The state governor Abdullahi Sule in reaction said he is willing to pay all legitimate remunerations once the state financial capacity improves.

    The governor made the remarks when he received his coordinators recently at the government house.

    He said,” As long as we have the money, without being asked, we will address it and pay”

    “All my life, I have been promoted. I went through promotion from a simple Engineer, to Engineer I, Engineer II, to Senior Engineer, Principal Engineer, to Assist Engineer, Engineer and then I became Managing Director.

    “How could I then deny any worker the right to be promoted?”

  • Insecurity: Ogun health workers declare indefinite strike after abducted doctor, nurse regain freedom

    Insecurity: Ogun health workers declare indefinite strike after abducted doctor, nurse regain freedom

    The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the release of a doctor and a nurse abducted on April 7.

    This was confirmed on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi.

    He however could not confirm if the family members of the victims paid ransom to secure the release of the health workers who regained their freedom in the early hours of today.

    The doctor and nurse were identified as Oladunni Odetola and Mrs Bamgbose respectively.

    Adetola, who is the head of General Hospital, Imeko, Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, alongside the nurse Bamgbose were kidnapped on Wednesday last week on Abeokuta – Imeko road.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered that the gunmen had emerged from the bush at Olubo village and whisked away their victims.

    Their abductors subsequently demanded ₦20m ransom, a development which allegedly led to fundraising among the health workers in the state in order to secure the release of their colleagues.

    Sequel to this, the State Chairman of NMA, Ogunlaja Oladayo also confirmed their release after about six days in captivity.

    “Yes, they have been released early this morning,” he said.

    When asked if the ransom was paid, Oladayo responded “I don’t have any information on that.”

    Meanwhile, the medical doctors and nurses in Ogun State have announced the withdrawal of services in protest against the abduction of their colleagues.

    The no-work protest takes effect from 12 midnight on Tuesday.

    In a letter jointly addressed to the Commissioner of Health, Dr Tomi Coker, they accused the government of non-committal to securing the release of the abducted health workers.

    The letter titled “Notification of Withdrawal of Service” was dated April 12, and jointly signed by the State NMA Chairman, Oladayo Ogunlaja and the State Chairman of NANNM, Roseline Solarin.

    They described the kidnapping of the health workers as “disheartening, repugnant and unacceptable,” adding that that the government’s approach of “not negotiating with the kidnappers have left us to believe our lives and security is of no essence to this government.”

    The leadership, therefore, declared withdrawal of service by the doctors and nurses, from all public health institutions in the state, effective from 12 midnight on Tuesday.

    “The strike will continue until the safety of our members is guaranteed,” the leadership added.

    The letter reads partly: “In the light of the above, it glaring that the safety of the Health workers is no longer guaranteed.

    “The joint committee of NMA and NANNM resolved as follows: Lives of our members which the government cannot guarantee is sacrosanct.

    “The Government has not shown enough commitment to the safe release of our incarcerated members.

    “Immediate withdrawal of the services of our members from all institutions until the safety of our members is guaranteed, effective from 12 midnight, 13th April 2021.

    “We hope that the government will make the security of lives and properties a matter of priority and see to it immediately.”

  • Ondo doctors begin indefinite strike

    Ondo doctors begin indefinite strike

    Doctors working with Ondo State government, under the aegis of Ondo State Government Doctors’ Forum, on Monday, began an indefinite strike.

    The Spokesperson for the forum, Dr Olubosede Omolayo, at a press conference on Tuesday in Akure, said that the strike had become imperative, following the payment of 50 percent of members’ salaries by government in November 2020.

    The forum consists of Association of Resident Doctors, UNIMED THC, Nigeria Association of General Medical Forum and Dental Practitioners as well as Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria.

    She said that the decision to embark on strike was taken after a meeting with members of the various associations.
    Omolayo said it was unfortunate and insensitive for the state government to do such, despite owing four months’ salary, coupled with poor infrastructure in the hospitals and poor welfare packages for its members.

    “After extensive deliberations, we have decided to withdraw our services at government hospitals. Many of our members have been infected with COVID-19; some have even died from the disease, while others got their family members infected and later died.

    “We are over-stretched and we cannot continue working under this condition again. It’s even so bad that our COVID-19 allowances have not yet been paid,” she said.

    Omolayo said letters had been sent to the governor and other relevant arms of government to explain the payment of 50 percent salary to members, but with no response.

    She said that the forum was not part of the organised labour that agreed to the 50 percent salary payment with government, saying that it was a professional body and should be treated as such.

    Omolayo, however, called on government to ensure payment of all outstanding arrears being owed its members, insisting that it was impossible for doctors to survive on half salaries.

  • JUST IN: Resident doctors, Legal officers commence indefinite strike in Ondo

    JUST IN: Resident doctors, Legal officers commence indefinite strike in Ondo

    The Association of Resident Doctors in the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) on Monday began its indefinite strike action over non-payment of four months’ salary.

    This is just as the legal officers in the Ondo State Ministry of Justice under the auspices of Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) withdrew its services over what it termed worsening despicable and deplorable conditions its members were subjected to.

    Last week, the UNIMEDTH ARD had embarked on a three-day warning strike with a threat to totally down tools if their demands were not met.

    Acting President of ARD, Ondo State, Dr. Sanni Oriyomi, who spoke to journalist in Akure said they could no longer pretend that all was well with them.

    Dr. Oriyomi stated that besides the non-payment of salaries, there were issues of dearth of doctors and House Officers.

    Oriyomi said the COVID-19 hazard allowance was paid for only one month and that the Resident doctors sought accommodation for themselves instead of residing in houses provided by the hospital management.

    He said the absence of House Officers is affecting health of his members.

    According to him, “Having persevered to render services, our salary has become issue of concern. We are finding it difficult to meet up with our financial obligations.

    “We are calling on the government to come up with solutions. It is not in our interest to embark on this strike but enough is enough.”

    Spokesman of the Ondo ARD, Dr. Taiwo Olaigbe, said the state health system was on the brink of collapsed.

    Dr. Olaigbe insisted that they would not return work until all their salaries are paid.

    Meanwhile, the Ondo Legal Officers in a statement signed by its Chairman, Babatunde Victor Falodun and Secretary, Wale Banisile and addressed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the work-to-rule strike action would persist until their demands are met.

    The statement said administration of justice in Ondo State has suffered untold hardship due to constraints of funds and abysmal condition of service.

    It said legal poverty must end in the state as the state Counsel are the least paid in the country.

    Other demands were stoppage of the N187 State Counsel Allowance and upward review of same to reflect current reality, end to commercial motorcycling to courts as well as release of funds approved for outfit/Robe allowance since March 2020.

    Acting Ondo Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, said the state government was already working towards ensuring the Resident doctors receive their salaries same day with the civil servants.

    Dr. Adeyeye said the plan was to move the doctors’ salaries to the central pay system.

  • Attack: FMC Lokoja shut as workers commence indefinite strike

    Attack: FMC Lokoja shut as workers commence indefinite strike

    Doctors, nurses and other health workers at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, Kogi State on Thursday announced the withdrawal of their services.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the indefinite strike followed an early morning attack yesterday on the facility by suspected political thugs.

    A statement by the workers in Lokoja said the action was necessitated by the prevailing insecurity, foisted on the centre by the attackers, who they alleged, were sponsored.

    The statement was signed by Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Chairman Dr. Nnana Agwu and Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) Chairman Samuel Obajemu.

    Other signatories to the statement are: National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Abdulmalik Idris; Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) Chairman John Omoche and Senior Staff Association (SSA) Chairman Usman Gabriel.

    The union leaders expressed the regret that aside the violent attack on workers, all the vital equipment needed for their day-to-day work had been carted away by the hoodlums.

    “Some equipment like infrared thermometers, laptops, ATM cards, car keys and two motorcycles, which are vital in providing care, were carted away by the hoodlums,” the statement said.

    The union leaders said the administrative block of the hospital was completely vandalised by the armed thugs, who, they said, came in unmarked Toyota Sienna buses.

    According to them, the workers will stay off work until security of lives and property at the hospital is guaranteed.

    The unions also demanded adequate provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their members as a precondition for calling off the strike.

    Part of their demands include validation of COVID-19 status of the Accident and Emergency unit staff who were on self-isolation, expansion of triangle points and provision of testing facilities (PCR machine).

  • COVID-19: Doctors embark on indefinite strike in Delta

    Members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta State have withdrawn their services indefinitely over alleged harassment by security operatives enforcing lockdown directive.

    The lockdown order was issued by the state government as a measure to prevent the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus disease otherwise known as COVID-19.

    President of the ARD, Asaba FMC chapter, Osifo Patrick Nwabunor at a press briefing in Asaba maintained that since the lockdown started on April 1, Health workers have been subjected to constant harassment by the police even when they present valid means of identification as essential service providers.

    Nwabunor alleged that the harassment came to a climax on Thursday when a doctor who was going for an emergency, was stopped and harassed, adding that when other colleagues came to his rescue, they were allegedly tear-gassed.

    He said as a result of the constant harassment, the doctors were embarking “total shutdown of their services indefinitely until our safety and security is guaranteed.”

    Nwabunor stated that the association was not callous to embark on the indefinite strike in the midst of COVID-19 crisis, but that they cannot continue to discharge their duties in an environment of constant threats and insecurity.

    “These are challenging times in view of the COVID-19 but if our safety is not guaranteed, we will maintain the total shutdown,” he stated.

    Nwabunor listed three conditions including that no health worker should be harassed when he/she presents a valid means of identification; that items destroyed during the Okpanam issue should be replaced; and that adequate security should be provided within the confines of the hospital, before they would return to work.

    He also raised alarm about the paucity of protective kits for front line health workers across both federal and state hospitals, and appealed to the authorities to provide the kits and as well as increase the hazard allowance for front line care givers.

  • BREAKING: ASUU begins indefinite strike

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has commenced an indefinite strike.

    The union’s President, Biodun Ogunyemi, at a press briefing in its National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, noted that the Federal Government had failed to address the issues raised by its members.

    Details shortly…..

  • Ogun doctors embark on indefinite strike

    Ogun doctors embark on indefinite strike

    Due to the ”enormous persistent decline in workforce”, members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) have embarked on an indefinite strike.

    Osikoya Oludotun and Ajose Oluwafemi, the chairman and secretary of the association signed this resolution following their meeting on Monday 2nd of September, 2019.

    The medical practitioners aired their distress on the reduction in workforce which has taken a toll on the health of few doctors. The decreasing number of doctors has led to loss of accreditation for comprehensive training of resident doctors.

    They revealed that they were aware of the last administration’s stance on the management of OOUTH not to exceed a certain wage bill, and also wondering why the wages of resident doctors, who had exited the system could not be used for the employment of new doctors.

    The statement noted that the patient load over the years without a commensurate number of resident doctors, had prevented doctors from preparing adequately for their postgraduate examinations and the training of younger doctors and medical students.

    News Agency of Nigeria reports that the doctors claims to resort to indefinite strike, as several meetings with the previous and current administrations in the state to address the issue failed to yield any positive response. In their plea to better the working conditions, the union demands that the state government should replace vacant positions of resident doctors.

    Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors said this would avert poor outcomes, breakdown of health of doctors, low morale and non-cordial relationships among the staff of the teaching hospital.

  • Again, resident doctors commence indefinite strike in Kaduna

    Again, resident doctors commence indefinite strike in Kaduna

    Residents doctors in Kaduna State have began an indefinite strike on Tuesday over “sorry state” of healthcare facilities in state government hospitals.

    Dr. Joseph Jokshan, President, Association of Resident Doctors in the state, said at a press briefing Monday night in Kaduna that the state government had not responded to any of the doctors’ demands issued 21 days ago.

    He said that the doctors were pained to begin the strike, but “unfortunately, we cannot effectively carry out these tasks in the current sorry state of our healthcare facilities.”

    Jokshan listed issues that prompted the strike to include poor funding, equipping and staffing of hospitals and non-provision of living environment for medical, health workers and patients.

    He said that members of the association were also demanding for payment of House Officers salaries and arrears and immediate and full implementation of “corrected” CONMESS.

    “Immediate implementation of already approved funding for residency training of Kaduna state doctors in their chosen fields, as well as promotion of our doctors that are due.”

    He urged the general public to “join us in this struggle and push the government to do the needful.”

    “This is the struggle we intend to see through to the end, not because we are unaware of the implication of this action but because we are left with no other option,” he added.

  • SSANU, NASU, NAAT join ASUU, declare total, indefinite strike

    The coalition of Nigerian university workers have vowed to join their academic colleagues beginning from Monday to press home their demands from the Federal Government.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had earlier embarked on an indefinite strike on August 8 but have since been in negotiations with the federal government.

    At a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, the Joint Action Committee, JAC, of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU; Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU; and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, said the unions will begin a “total and comprehensive indefinite” strike due to the federal government’s alleged failure to fulfil a 2009 agreement with the unions.

    The chairman of JAC who is also the National President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, said the industrial action will begin on September 11.

    He said the workers will not provide even skeletal services during the strike.

    “Concessions shall not be granted while all our members are to stay at home till further notice, unless as directed by JAC through their respective presidents,” Mr. Ugwoke said.

    Apart from the 2009 agreement the unions said was reached with government and a Memorandum of Understanding reached this year, the unions said they were demanding payment of earned allowance to their members, review of governance system in universities, improved funding of universities in line with UNESCO recommendations and provision of infrastructure in the universities.

    They are also asking for payment of salary shortfalls being owed, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgement on university staff schools, registration of Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company, NUPEMCO, and implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for technologists.

    They also want improvement of teaching and learning facilities in the universities, stemming of the tide of corruption in the university system, showing of commitment in the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/University unions Agreements and ensuring the headship of non-teaching units by non-teaching staff employed for the purpose of those units.

    The union also said it is essential for government to monitor the funds being released to universities.

    “It is not about releasing money, but let it be used for the purpose it was released for, whether it is government fund or internal generated revenue. Government knows those that control funds in the university, ” the JAC chairman said.

    He said though the government was not given a timeline to fulfil these demands, a memorandum of understanding was signed after a January 18 meeting. He said the understanding should be implemented “as soon as possible.”

    “In 2015, the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, acting on behalf of the federal government, directed heads of institutions and agencies to stop the inclusion of workers in the university staff school from the payrolls of their institutions and based on the directive, over 2000 of our members were technically retrenched,” Mr. Ugwoke said.

    The unions said they had given the federal government a 35-day notice before they decided to commence the strike on Monday.

    “Until we embarked on the five days warning strike in January, the federal government never called us for dialogue,” he recalled.

    “If an agreement was signed in 2009 and now in 2017 we are still demanding for the implementation of such agreement, does it not show that we have been exceedingly patient?

    “Our Charter of Demands has been with the government before ASUU went on strike,” Mr. Ugwoke said, stressing their decision to go on strike was not related to the ongoing action by their academic staff colleagues.