The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Strike

  • UCH resident doctors issues fresh strike notice

    UCH resident doctors issues fresh strike notice

    Members of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, University College Hospital Ibadan Chapter on Friday, issued a ten days strike notice to the authorities of the hospital over issues ranging from poor working environment, employment of more doctors to poor remuneration of members.

    The doctors said they would proceed on total strike unless the management of the hospital paid the arrears of their salaries and employ more doctors to ease the pressure on them.

    President of the union, Dr Olusegun Olaopa, while addressing journalist at a press  conference which held at the secretariat of the Association, said the hospital lacked the required number of resident doctors and that the available ones live in dilapidated quarters and in fear of snakes and other reptiles that competed the space with them.

    He said: “After the national strike was called off based on understanding with the Federal Government, the UCH management is handling the issue of resident doctors poorly. One of the issues is the employment of more doctors. The hospital continues to postpone plan to employ more doctors despite having a huge shortfall in the quota.

    “The doctors cannot run the hospital with their blood. We are 457 in number instead of the recommended 525 doctors. What this means is that we are now doing the work of ward maid in addition to our statutory duties. It is clear that the FG pays subvention to cover 525 doctors so the hospital should employ the balance.

    “It is shocking that despite the fact that the FG released money to pay our shortfall of salaries, we have yet to be paid. The FG should come and look at the audit system in the hospital to ascertain what the money was used for. For the past two weeks, our salaries have been released to the hospital by the FG but that money has yet to be paid even though other staff has been paid. We got 72 per cent of our salary in August. This is no more acceptable”

    ‘We are giving a grace of 10 days to the management to address all the issues raised after which we would go on total strike.

    “The lives of people taking care of patients are being endangered by the hospital management. If these issues are not holistically addressed in the next 10 days, we will not have an option than to proceed on total strike. We appeal to the public and government to help us prevail on the management to do the right thing,”
    Olaopa lamented that several letters had been written to the management as regards the issues as well as held several meetings but with no result, adding that the failure of the management to resolves the issues at stake has impact negatively on the harmonious working environment at the hospital.

    He stated that some structures within the hospital are in bad shape while members of the Association as well patients are being exposed to danger on daily basis due to negligence of the management.

  • Polytechnic lecturers write FG, issue 21-day strike notice

    Polytechnic lecturers write FG, issue 21-day strike notice

    Lecturers in the nation’s polytechnic sector have threatened to withdraw their services and commence a comprehensive and indefinite strike action if the federal government fails to address their grievances within 21 days, accusing the government of neglecting the sector..

    In a letter dated October 9, 2017 addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, the lecturers also threatened to withdraw from the negotiation of its 2010 agreement with the government as the issues currently in dispute constitute violations of the subsisting agreement between the union and government.

    The letter signed by the National President of the Union, Comrade Usman, Y. Dutse was copied to the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education and the Chairman, Federal Government/ASUP 2010 Renegotiation Committee.

    Dutse said “tje NEC of our union reviewed the progress made by the government in resolving issues bordering on the welfare of its members and smooth functioning of the sector. NEC specifically discussed the outcome of the meeting between our union and the Honorable Minister of Education on the 22nd of August, 2017.

    “The Honorable Minister had at the meeting, assured the union that within one month, the issues presented by the union would have been addressed. You may also recall sir, that our union withdrew the services of its members in a one week warning strike in February, 2017 over same issues.”

    He said a review of the progress made after six weeks of the meeting with the Minister revealed that no substantial progress has been made, adding that while the Minister had direct d a review of the NEEDS assessment survey in line with inflationary trend before the document is transmitted to the Federal Executive Council for approval. there is no indication towards the movement of the document to the Federal Executive Council for necessary action. 

    He said further that despite the directive on the sustained shortfalls in personnel releases and withdrawal of allowances since December, 2015 and for institutions to continue to pay the allowances until such is captured in the budget, the directive has been largely ignored while their members are being owed this allowance with some owed for as much as 18 months. 

    According to the ASUP President, the shortfalls has continued to persist with only 2 Polytechnics receiving their shortfalls, while promotion arrears are equally owed with some dating as far as 2014.

    He said the government has also not shown any seriousness on addressing the issue of the non release of CONTISS 15 Migration Arrears as the arrears has continue to increase across both federal and state owned institutions since 2009 for the lower cadre.

    He said further that despite the Minister’s directive that the template prepared by the ministry appointment process of Rectors be adhered to, some polytechnics, notably Federal Polytechnics Bauchi, Oko and Kaduna Polytechnic have brazenly violated the template in different dimensions. 

    According to him, the union believes is taking place with the active connivance of representatives of the ministry and the regulatory body in the governing councils of the affected institutions, adding that situation is even worse in state owned institutions with different levels of unimaginable violations taking place in the appointment process.

    He said despite repeated assurances, the amendment bill of the Polytechnics Act which passed through public hearing at the Senate since December 6th 2016 is yet to be passed by the Senate and attributes this to the low and unfortunate premium placed on Technological education in the country as same bill had died with the 6th and 7th assemblies.

    He alleged that Officers of our union are still victimized in Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi Uku, Osun state Polytechnic Iree, Adamawa state Polytechnic Yola and Federal Polytechnic Mubi. Our union check off dues in Federal Polytechnic Mubi is still being released to unauthorized persons by the rector and management of same institution. 

    He also alleged the non-payment of staff salaries in some state owned institutions, saying “this has continued despite repeated calls by our union for needed intervention. States like Abia currently owes 9 months while others like Edo, Kogi, Oyo, Benue, Osun, Imo, Plateau and Bayelsa owe between 8 and 4 months. Check off dues of our union in these states are equally withheld inclusive of Rivers state. 

    “In the face of these extreme acts of provocation, our members in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta are threatened with mass sack as the governor of Ogun state has sustained his drive to establish a new polytechnic in a farmland in Ikpokia, defying logic and the genuine concerns of stakeholders.”

    In view of this he said, “the 89th meeting of NEC of our union therefore resolved to issue a 21 day ultimatum to the government effective 9th October, 2017 to comprehensively address the issues raised. The union will be left with no choice than to withdraw the services of its members in a total and comprehensive national industrial action in defense of the sector if the government fails to do the needful. 

    “The union may also reconsider its continued participation in the renegotiation of its 2010 agreement with the government as the issues listed above constitute violations of the subsisting agreement.

    “It is the hope of our union that government should seize the opportunity provided by the 21 days window to resolve the issues and avert the ugly consequence of avoidable disruption in academic calendar across Nigerian polytechnics and monotechnics.”

  • Tanker drivers: we’re not party to strike

    Oil tanker drivers have dissociated themselves from any strike that will unleash hardship on Nigerians.

    The drivers, acting under the aegis of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), are responsible for transporting fuel from one part of the country to the other.

    Its National President, Salimon Oladiti, said members of the organisation were not aware of the decision by the oil workers to begin strike nationwide.

    He described the planned strike as a ruse, as nobody has  informed his association on the issue.

    In tele phone interview at the weekend, Oladiti said the decision by the Petroleum and National Gas Workers Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to go on strike to press home their demand for payment of over N800billion debts owed oil marketers by the Federal Government, was not to his knowledge.

    He said: “We are hearing about the decision by PENGASSAN and NUPENG to embark on strike, just like any other person. But I can tell you confidently that the proposed strike action is fake. There is no iota of truth on the proposed strike action. To the best of my knowledge, any strike in which tanker drivers are not involved is bound to fail.’’

    He said neither PENGASSAN nor NUPENG has discussed the decision to embark on strike with PTD, as part of efforts to force the government to pay the debt owed Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MPMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIS).

    Marketers, after their Joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, issued a communique on the matter. The communique signed by its Legal Adviser, Patrick Etim, said in the last months, the unions had been inundated by officials of various labour units operating in tank farms and depots across the country that most importers and marketing companies were owing their members backlog of salaries now up to nine months.

    “The most disturbing aspect of this is that many members are redundant as their employers are not able to operate their bank account for their operations with a potential massive job losses of our members in the oil and gas sector and other workers in the banking sector, due to the growing size of this non-performing loans extended to oil marketers with a catastrophic banking system collapse looming in the country,’’ the communique read.

  • Health workers await minister’s signature to suspend strike

    Health workers await minister’s signature to suspend strike

    Health workers on strike may be waiting for the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole to sign the memorandum of settlement entered into on Saturday, between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Joint Health Sector Unions before asking their members to suspend action and return to work.

    The leadership of the striking workers had told reporters after their meeting with the government on Saturday night that they were suspending their strike action in principle, pending the outcome of the meeting of their National Executive Council scheduled to hold t6omorrow.

    However, Chairman of JOHESU Biobelomoye Joy Josiah told a news conference yesterday that they were suspending the strike action in principle because “there are certain things we expect the government to do between now and Tuesday and once that is done, the strike will be officially called off and our members will be directed to resume work immediately”.

    Although Josiah did not mention what they expect the government to do, The Nation was informed by sources at the meeting that the workers are afraid that if the Minister of Health failed to sign the agreement, it may become invalid and not implementable.

  • Health workers to suspend strike Tuesday

    Health workers to suspend strike Tuesday

    The Minister of Health, Professor. Isaac Adewole and his Minister of State, Dr. Osagie Ehanire on Saturday stayed away from the resumed conciliatory meeting between government and striking health workers aimed at calling off the 10-day old strike by the workers.

    However, the union officials said they have suspended the strike in principle, stressing that they must however take the outcome of the meeting to their NEC for approval before making a public statement on the suspension.

    Chairman of JOHESU, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah however told newsmen after the meeting that they hope to officially suspend the strike after their NEC meeting on Tuesday 

    He said that members of the union leadership are expected to arrive Abuja for a meeting on Tuesday to ractify the agreement reached

    The workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions had declared what they described as “Operation Alligator bite” to compel the government to meet their demands which they said have lingered on side 2012.

    The meeting which started at about 10.50 am and was expected to last for about two hours or less dragged on for several hours, ending at 6.38 pm as both parties failed to arrive at a consensus on almost all the issues slated for discussion.

    The Nation learnt that the government team requested the workers to give government about six weeks to address some of the observation raised after their initial meeting which took place on Tuesday, September 26, especially those that has financial implications as some of them will require the input of the Federal Executive Council and  presidential approval.

    The government team was said to have informed the workers that the request for some time to meet the financial demands by the unions is to ensure that the government does not disappoint them since government need to follow certain processes to actualise their demands.

    Addressing newsmen after the about seven hours meeting, Professor Ocheni said all issues presented by the unions were exhaustively discussed and agreement reached with specific timelines, while committees are to be set up to deliberate on new demands presented by the unions.

  • Health workers insist strike continues until conclusion of negotiations

    Health workers insist strike continues until conclusion of negotiations

    There are indications that the on-going indefinite strike embarked upon by health workers by the Joint Health Sector Unions may soon be called off even as the unions insist that the industrial action continues until after negotiations are concluded at the weekend.
    The government and the unions were believed to have signed an agreement in the early hours of Wednesday after about nine hours meeting with the unions informing the government team led by the Ministers of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige and his Health counterpart, Prof. Isaac Adewole that they need to get back to their members.
    The unions are expected to return to the negotiating table with the government team on Saturday after their National Executive Council meeting.
    In a statement made available to newsmen late Wednesday night, the unions asked its members nationwide to await further directive from the leaders, while asking state councils who were supposed to join the strike on Thursday to hold on and await further instruction.
    The statement signed by the Chairman, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah and Secretary, Florence Ekpebor reads: “As a result of the on-going negotiation between JOHESU and the Federal Government, the leadership of JOHESU wish to inform all members that negotiation is on-going and the strike continues nationwide in all Federal Health Institutions and further directives will be given after meeting with Federal Government on Saturday, 30th September, 2017.
    “In the light of the above, state councils are further directed to put on hold the commencement of their strike initially billed for Thursday, 28th of September, 2017 due to the on-going talks.
    “JOHESU commends members nationwide for their steadfastness and we hope that government will seize this opportunity to effectively meet our demands in order to shorten the life span of the strike.”
  • Ngige faults health workers strike, call for meeting Tuesday

    Ngige faults health workers strike, call for meeting Tuesday

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Monday told striking health workers that their action did not follow laid down rules as they failed to give the government a fourteen day ultimatum as required by law.

    The Minister however asked the striking workers to return to their place of primary assignment as the government is already addressing all issues contained in their demand, while also inviting them for a meeting on Tuesday with a view to resolving the issues in contention. 

    In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere, the Minister expressed disappointment that the leadership of the striking workers failed to honour a meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 21, because they wanted to call out the workers on strike.

    He appealed to the striking he appealed to the striking workers to return to work to avoid the current hardship being suffered by patients.

    The statement reads “The Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige deeply regrets the strike already embarked by the Joint Health Sector Unions and group of healthcare providers in the federal health institutions operating under the acronym, JOHESU and wishes to appeal to them to call off their action and return to their different beats in the hospitals and institutions to avoid unnecessary hardship and death of patients.

     “I wish to place on record that JOHESU had wrongly issued a seven-day strike ultimatum on 14th September, 2017 instead of the mandatory fifteen-day notice the law requires of those on essential duties. 

    “The body took another wrong step by routing its notice of action to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) instead of the Labour and Employment Minister whom JOHESU is fully aware is empowered by the Section 5(6) of the Trade Dispute Act 2004 to apprehend such dispute within the time frame of notice and effect conciliation thereafter.      

     “Further, it is regrettable that the invitation extended to JOHESU by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment under the provision of this law for a meeting on Thursday, 21st September, 2017 was not honoured because JOHESU wanted to call out the member unions on strike, thereby disrupting services in these health institutions.

    “For the avoidance of doubt however, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, working in concert with the Ministry of Health, has fixed another conciliatory meeting for Tuesday, 26th September, 2017 by 2 p.m.

    “Therefore, the Hon. Minister requests members of JOHESU to resume work as serious efforts are being made to meet their grievances most of which like the payment of shortfalls of salaries, promotion arrears, repatriation allowances among others have already been addressed by Government through various negotiations with other unions representing the interest of workers, that is, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the last three weeks.”

  • Strike: Non-teaching staff resume work in LASU

    Strike: Non-teaching staff resume work in LASU

    Non-academic activities commenced at the Lagos State University (LASU) on Monday following the suspension of à nationwide strike embarked on by Non-Academic Staff of Union members.

    The nationwide strike lasted for 10 days as it was suspended on Sept. 21.

    Check by a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) showed that Health Centre, Certificate unit, Postgraduate school and Registry, which were closed, have been re-opened.

    NAN reports that Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non-Teaching Staff in Nigeria Universities, had on Sept. 11, embarked on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.

    The unions include National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU).

    The unions demanded payment of earned allowances to members, a review of the governance system in universities and improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations.

    Provision of infrastructure in universities, payment of salary shortfall being owed members and implementation of the judgment of National Industrial Court on university staff schools, among others.

    Mr Saheed Oseni, the Chairman of SSANU in LASU, told NAN that all the non-teaching staff in the institution had resumed work, as directed by the National body and administrative work had commenced.

    Oseni said the union complied with the strike directive comprehensively as directed by the national body while the strike lasted.

    According to him, all the offices under lock during the strike have been re-opened and officers in charge are all on seat.

    He, however, urged the Federal Government to fulfill its agreement with the unions as promised as and when due to prevent further strikes by any of the unions.

  • ULC strike: NNPC cautions against panic buying

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned Nigerians against panic buying of petroleum products in compliance to the strike embarked upon by the United Labour Congress (ULC), stressing it has enough stock of products to meet national need.

    This was even as the strike purported to have commenced on Monday failed to make any impact on the masses and businesses as Nigerians went about their activities without any disruption.

    The ULC President, Joe Ajaero, however, said the strike in its first day recorded huge success in the target the centre set for it to achieve.

    The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement in Abuja, said the corporation had sufficient Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, in stock to serve the nation for 48 days.

    He said: “Similarly, there is in stock, sufficient quantity of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) as well as Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) to serve the country.

    “Motorists are further enjoined to report any challenge they may have in the course of purchasing any of these products to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

    “The DPR is statutorily empowered to deal with such issues and has offices located in all parts of the country.”

    NNPC assured that the government was working to arrive at an amicable resolution of outstanding issues with the industry unions.

    The ULC had threatened the Federal Government that it would go on strike from Monday, if its 11-point demand was not met. It demanded, among others, that the Federal Government stopped stationing soldiers and policemen in its workplaces.

  • University non-academic staff suspend strike

    University non-academic staff suspend strike

    The two-week strike by the Non teaching staff of Nigerian Universities under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee has been  suspended.

    They embarked on the strike to compel government to implement agreements reached with the union with a threat to resume the action if the government fail to implement the agreement.

    The three non teaching staff of Nigerian universities began an indefinite strike action on Monday, September 11 as a result of government failure to meet their 12 point demands.

    The demands include the non-payment of earned Academic allowances, shortfall in salaries of members, poor funding of universities, non registration of Nigerian Universities Pensions Management Company among others.

    Speaking at a news conference, Chairman of the Joint Action Committee and President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugokwe directed all members to go back to work with effect from Monday, September 25, 2017.

    The union are Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists and the Non Academic Staff Union.

    Ugokwe said “The strike by the university based non-teaching unions was indeed avoidable and would have been averted if government had done the needful. Arising from the series of deliberations and engagements, we have once again gone to the drawing board. 

    “The negotiations we have had since the beginning of the strike have developed a template which we hope will be a panacea to the continued conflicts between the university based non-teaching staff unions and the Federal Government. 

    “We have developed an actionable template with specific timeframes to implement salient aspects of the agreement. Based on the foregoing and following exhaustive and extensive consultations with our various union organs, we hereby announce the suspension of the strike action embarked upon by the Joint Action Committee of NAAT, NASU and SSANU, on the understanding that the time lines agreed with the Federal Government on the various issues are met. 

    “We have consequently directed our members to resume work on Monday, September 25, 2017. In one months time, we shall be reviewing the level of compliance with the agreement and shall not hesitate to resume the strike action if government reneges on the agreements reached or delays in any aspects.”

    He said further that: “As responsible Trade Unions, we are not oblivious of the implications and effects of a strike action on Nigerians including the hardships even on us. But when left with no choice and having no options, the strike had to  be embarked upon, having exhausted every other means of conveying our agitations to the powers that be.

    “Our demands were spread over a gamut and diversity of issues bordering on the sustenance and survival of the university system, welfare of our members among others. Our agitations were not selfish but predicated on an overall love for the system and the interests of our members.”

    The unions demands include Non-payment of Earned Allowances to our members, the problem of bad governance affecting the university system, poor funding as against UNESCO recommendations, inadequate infrastructure in universities and abandoned projects, shortfall in payments of salaries and non-implementation of the National Industrial Court (NUC) judgement in respect of university staff schools.

    They are also protesting the non-registration of National Universities Pension Commission (NUPEMCO), non-implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for Technologists, problem of lack of adequate teaching and learning facilities in the universities’ corruption in the university system, lack of seriousness in the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/University Unions Agreement and usurpation of Headship of Non-Teaching Units by academic staff.

    Ugokwe said the union’s demand were aggregates of the Unions agreements of 2009 with the Federal Government which they had waited eight years to consummate, adding that the unions had shown understanding, maturity and patience while waiting for government to implement the,.

    According to him. “In January 2017, we embarked on a one week warning strike which was suspended on the strength of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Government. We waited nine months for the consummation of the MOU but observing that our nine month pregnancy was going beyond term, we were forced to induce the pregnancy to ensure that our 12 point agenda baby is born.

    “Following heated engagements and exchanges on the issues in contention, certain understandings were reached on the issues which we hope, given the calibre of people on the Government side, who we assume until otherwise proven, to be honourable gentlemen true to their words, would be realised within the timeframes promised.”

    He said further that the major problem in the nation’s Labour sector was not the lack of agreements, but the actualisation of the agreements, adding that this has been responsible for the prevalence of industrial actions in recent times. 

    He said: “to this end, beginning with the understanding reached early this morning, today, Thursday, 21st September 2017, with the JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU, we enjoin Government to respect agreements reached and ensure their compliance. We maintain our principled stand on the dictum “Pacta Sum Servanda” – Agreements entered into must be honoured. This dictum is not restricted to this agreement alone, but any other agreement signed with workers across all sectors.

    “The level of confidence in government by Nigerian workers is indeed poor and highly eroded as workers no longer have trust in policies of government despite the fact that MOU’s and agreements are reached. Government must therefore embark on a deliberate policy of confidence-building, to shore up trust and belief in its activities. This is the key solution to end the spate of industrial actions in the country.”