Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action, beginning November 14, over the federal government’s failure to fulfill promises regarding the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The umbrella body of the union said the strike would commence by midnight on November 14, 2024, if its demands were not met.
The JOHESU comprises the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Associated Institutions, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions.
The strike notice, contained in a letter addressed to the Ministers of Health and Labour and Employment, was signed by the National Chairman of the JOHESU, Ado Kabiru, and National Secretary, Martins Egbanubi.
According to the union, the notice was issued in accordance with section 41 of the Trade Disputes Act, Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The JOHESU stated that several meetings with government officials had failed to yield results.
The JOHESU stated that the dispute became necessary due to the government’s failure to address this “age-long flagship demand” despite the personal intervention and assurances of President Bola Tinubu during a meeting with the union’s leadership on June 5, 2023, which led to the suspension of a previous strike.
It stated that its major demand was the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the federal government on October 29, 2024, aimed at fast-tracking the payment of CONHESS adjustments, similar to what has been done for the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) on three occasions since 2014.
The union lamented that despite the president’s assurances, as well as resolutions and MoUs reached at various conciliation meetings, the government had yet to fulfill its promises.
It added that government representatives had repeatedly tied implementation to the approval of the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS), which has not met since August 2023 following the inauguration of the current Federal Executive Council (FEC).
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