The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Warning strike

  • FG, medical lab union disagree on pending issues

    FG, medical lab union disagree on pending issues

    Activities in Federal Health institutions in the country may be disrupted for the next seven days following a disagreement between the Federal Government and the Joint Health Workers Union over pending issues.

    JOHESU has already called out its members for a seven day warning strike, in defiant to the government sack order issued on Tuesday.

    The union explained that the warning strike became necessary, following the attitude of the government over pending issues.

    Both parties could not reach a compromise at the rescheduled meeting held on Tuesday, where according to the union, government disregarded all previous agreement reached with the union.

    Consequently, in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting with the Federal Government, the union stated that having consulted widely with members nationwide and having shown consistent understanding since February 2015, hereby directs that all members in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions should proceed on a 7-day WARNING STRIKE from12:01am of Wednesday 22nd June, 2016

    The Union also noted that it was not afraid of the sack order issued on Tuesday, as they are not students but employees of the government. Moreover, JOHESU argued that as a registered trade union, it followed the due process before declaring the warning strike including suspending strike action for 92 days.

    The communiqué reads: “Following repeated ultimatums totaling 92 days issued to the Federal  Government by JOHESU, a meeting was called for Monday 20th June, 2016 at the instance of the Federal Government at the Conference room of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment with a view to resolving the issues in dispute.

    “However, the Federal Government was not prepared for the meeting and therefore pleaded that the meeting be shifted to Tuesday 21st June, 2016 at 9.00am.

    “At the rescheduled meeting of Tuesday 21st June, 2016, it was observed that despite the series  of meetings earlier held with committees and sub-committees set up to look unto the various issues presented by JOHESU and agreements reached, to our utmost surprise the Federal Government asserted that there was no agreement on the issues upon which erstwhile Secretary to the Federal Government set up a sub-committee, the report of which was accepted by the Federal Government and another sub-committee set up to work out the financial implication to be submitted to the Federal Government for approval.

    “Other issues upon which previous submissions had been made were equally pushed to the unions to make fresh submission showing lack of seriousness on the part of the Federal Government.

    “Having consulted widely with members nationwide and having shown consistent understanding since February 2015, the leadership of JOHESU hereby directs that all members in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions should proceed on a 7-day WARNING STRIKE from 12:01am of Wednesday 22nd June, 2016.

    “We hereby appeal to the general public to please bear with us and impress it on the Federal Government to meet the demands of the unions to prevent the warning strike from becoming a full blown indefinite strike.”

     

  • Electricity tariff: NLC to declare national warning strike

    Electricity tariff: NLC to declare national warning strike

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will declare a one-day national warning strike over the refusal of the Federal Government to reduce the electricity tariff.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba said this while addressing newsmen during the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the congress on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Jan. 29, the NLC led the picketing of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) nationwide, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the National Assembly.

    The action, aimed at getting the Federal govern to reverse the 45 per cent tariff hike did not yield the desired result.

    Wabba insisted that the tariff increase was “illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and an exploitation of the already exploited Nigerians.

    “The privatisation of the power sector was done in bad faith and it has become obvious that the investors did not have the capacity to improve power generation and supply in the country.

    “The CWC will agree on a day to embark on the strike, because several actions promised by the Federal Government to checkmate the tariff increment have not been implemented.’’

    He also noted that the current fuel scarcity in the country had brought untold hardship to workers and Nigerians as a whole.

    “We must, however, make the point that spells of scarcity will not be acceptable to Labour and other Nigerians because the human and economic costs are unimaginable.

    “We have being patient with this government but this persistence scarcity and suffering of our people will no longer be tolerated.’’

    The NLC president also frowned at the failure of the government to constitute the board of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

    He said that no individual had the right to fix the prices of petroleum products.

    “We demand the constitution of the board of NNPC and PPPRA. The latter is a 26-man board vested with powers of regulating prices of petroleum products. Today, it is a one-man show.”

    On the economy, Wabba noted that Nigerians were groaning under harsh economic conditions.

    He urged on President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps to implement the budget.

    “Government must consult more widely and come up with an enduring solution,” Wabba said.

     

  • Workers in Taraba commence 3-day warning strike

    Organised labour in Taraba on Wednesday, commenced three-day warning strike over illegal salary deductions, omissions and non-payment of primary school teachers.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Solomon Obaji, Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Alhaji Tukur Taji, Secretary, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and issued to newmen in Jalingo.

    The statement criticised the state government for being `insensitive’ to the sufferings of its workers and pensioners.

    “Government has failed to address the abnormalities, ranging from underpayment of salaries, omission of genuine workers from salary vouchers, removal of approved allowances and non payment of teachers salaries,” it stated.

    When contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Anthony Danburam, said that government was holding meetings with the labour leaders with a view to resolving the matter.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks showed that workers complied with the directive of their leaders on the issue as all the offices in the state secretariat in Jalingo were locked.

     

  • Doctors start warning strike

    Doctors start warning strike

    Resident doctors at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) have begun a five-day warning strike.

    The president of the hospital’s resident doctors association, Dr Owen Omorogbe, told reporters at the weekend in Benin, the state capital, that the strike was over the doctors’ welfare.

    Owen said the doctors wanted an end to unpaid entitlements, casualisation of medical officers and poor job description for interns.

    He also said the strike was to pressurise the hospital’s management to implement the new salary grade level approved for House officers.

    The hospital’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mrs. Kehinde Ibitoye said medical consultants had been directed to offer medical services pending the resolution of the matter.

    She said: “The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital was not around when the doctors embarked on the strike.

    “The CMD will be around on May 11, and he will have a meeting with the association.”

    The warning strike started on May 7.

  • Doctors begin warning strike

    Doctors begin warning strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) will today begin a three-day warning strike to  seek payment of its members’ outstanding salaries and allowances.

    NARD President Jibril Abdullahi told reporters yesterday at the NARD secretariat at the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital that the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, should be held responsible for his non-commitment to the doctors’ demands.

    The union leader said the grouse of his colleagues included relativity in the salary between doctors and other health workers as well as skipping of Grade Level 12.

    The resident doctors also argued that there was need for the Federal Ministry of Health to adopt world standard and best practices in the salary structure.

    They said there is nowhere in the world where a doctor’s salary is at par with that of other health workers.

    Dr. Abdullahi said the resident doctors would resume duty on Thursday, June 5.

    The union leader said NARD might consider the precarious security situation in the country to render emergency services.

    He added that if the Federal Government failed to implement their demands, the resident doctors would go on an indefinite strike as from July 1.

    The NARD’s demands include full payment of the salaries of its members in Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State.

    Dr Abdullahi said: “We are dismayed by the fact that the payment was only for September salaries of resident doctors and one month rather than two for the outgone house officers.

    “Similarly, the current batches of house officers in the same institution were just paid two months’ salary, rather than three months, as was done for the interns of other professions who came in together with them. Moreover, no explanation was given for this aberration.

    “In a nutshell, two of the three months’ payment was made and another one month withheld.

    He added: “After exhaustive deliberations with local chapters’ presidents and other stakeholders, NARD hereby rejects what the Federal Government offers regarding these issues.”

  • RATTAWU to embark on warning strike

    The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), is set to embark on a three-day warning strike next week over the decay in the sector and failure of government to uplift the welfare of the staffs.

    In a letter addressed to the Minister of Information, signed by the Union’s President, Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose,  the union drew attention to the pathetic situation in the broadcast sector, most especially in the government-owned electronic media both at the Federal and State level.

    “The National Executive Council (NEC) of the union  unanimously agreed that the sector is in comatose. There is massive and unprecedented infrastructural decay that has culminated into abysmal signal output. The Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), which are supposed to be the arrowhead, pacesetter and flagship of broadcasting in Nigeria are shadows of themselves for some time now.

    “Many NTA and FRCN stations located in the state capitals have seized to operate due to equipment decay and lack of funding. At least, all the NTA community stations located at senatorial districts across the country are yet to be energised and those energised have packed-up. These have affected creativity and talent which are the hallmarks of media practice.

    He said at the state levels, most of the state-owned radio and television stations are synonymous to the famous Ikeja Police College, neglect and can be best described as museum centres where antiquities are kept. What you only see are moribund, out-dated and dilapidated equipment that are out of the memories of the manufacturers,” the union said.

    The union said the shrinking economy coupled with high running cost of broadcasting station is shattering the hopes and aspirations of investors in the private broadcast sector, adding that the epileptic power supply has made the broadcast industry both public and privately owned to depend heavily on diesel of which, the cost is not only very high but business unfriendly.

    On the welfare of staff, the union said it is unfortunate that the media practitioners are the least paid among other professions in Nigeria.

    “A comparative analysis of the sector with others clearly showed that media workers, welfare is abysmally low and ridiculous.

    “It is unbelievable the treatment meted out to the NTA Retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme. It is very sad that those that retired in that organisation received low gratuity and monthly pension as compared to their counterparts in the main stream of the civil service.

    These are people that have served this country with all their energies, strength and indeed with all they have.

    “Although they are no longer in active service but as a responsible Union, RATTAWU cannot fold its arms while those who have served meritoriously without blemish are left suffering for no fault of theirs,” it stated.

    It stated that adequate attention should be given to the issue of amending the constitutional provision that vests the right of collection of radio and television licence fees on the Local Government without provision for distribution.

  • Education workers’ warning strike ends today

    THE Federal Ministry of Education workers’ warning strike, aimed at protesting the government’s failure to honour its pact with them planned to end last Friday, will end today.

    The workers under the auspices of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), in a letter to the Minister of Education, warned that the exercise might lead to a strike if the government failed to meet their demands.

    In a letter, the union said: “Additionally, we wish to inform the management of the Federal Ministry of Education that if nothing positive happens to our demands between November 26, 2013 and the end of the warning strike, other trade union actions which may include a full blown nationwide strike will be embarked upon by the Union to actualise the welfare interest of its members in the Ministry’’

    The letter signed by the Secretary-General of ASCSN, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, and sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Director-General, State Security Services, noted the decision was taken by representatives of the Union from all its units in the ministry nationwide at a meeting held on Monday, November 25.

    The Union said the reason for the strike was the inability of the government to implement the agreement signed with the workers in March, this year on payment of all promotion arrears due to its members and other sundry matters.

    Expressing its grievance, the union said meetings were held between the Ministry and the union from March to last month, but the Federal Government refused to honour the agreement, though at each meeting, it has promised to pay.

    “It is, however, disheartening to note that eight months after the signing of the agreement and three months after the August 27 meeting, almost all the issues agreed upon, particularly payment of promotion arrears to affected members of staff were not implemented by the Ministry,” the union said.

    According to the union, the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, further restrained the workers from embarking on the strike as earlier proposed.

    “At the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that the Federal Ministry of Education should pay promotion arrears due to members of staff in the Ministry from 2007 to 2011 on or before the close of work on Monday, November 25, 2013,’’ he added.

    The secretary-general, however, said the ultimatum it gave to the ministry earlier had expired and nothing was done to implement the agreement, noting that it showed that government had taken the Union on a goose chase.

    “It is on record that the association paid series of visits to the Ministry to monitor the effort being made to implement the agreement.  Unfortunately, what we found out was not encouraging,” he added.

  • NULGE begins warning strike today

    The National Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has directed its members in all Local Government Councils in the country to start a three-day industrial action today.

    A statement signed by the association’s Deputy National President, Comrade Jones Ofunne and General Secretary, Comrade Joshua Irapakob, said the warning strike “is in response to the Senate’s flagrant disregard to the wishes and aspiration of the Nigerian people.”

    “The union is aware of some senators who voted against the Local Government autonomy for reasons of their inordinate ambition to become governors and continue their looting spree, entrenchment of poverty and lack of development at the grassroots. If the labour of our people during hearings, to have a local government that is grassroots development-oriented, people-driven, free from executive lawlessness, encumbrances and endless pilfering, will not be in vain, then the Senate must revisit the issue of Local Government autonomy immediately,” the group said.

    The unionists said: “The NEC-in-session notes with appreciation, the transparent approach of the House of Representatives to the process of the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution by publishing the report/results of the public hearings held in the 360 federal constituencies held on November 10, 2012 at which Nigerian people voted overwhelmingly in favour of complete autonomy for Local Government. The House of Representative is urged to remain the last bastion of the defence of the wishes of Nigerians by voting in conformity with the outcome of the public hearing held on November 1, 2012.”

     

  • NUPENG begins three-day warning strike today

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has said it will begin a three-day warning strike today.

    In a statement yesterday in Lagos by its General-Secretary, Mr Isaac Aberare, the union said its workers would go on strike over alleged unfair labour practices by some major oil companies in the country.

    “The strike is also to protest the refusal of NARTO to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with the petroleum tanker drivers.

    “We are also unhappy over the bad state of roads across the nation,” the statement said.

    It alleged that efforts by the Federal Ministry of Labour to intervene in the matter three weeks ago failed.

    The union said the oil multinationals failed to implement the agreement reached by the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu.

    The statement alleged that the union’s call for a stakeholders’ meeting in the oil and gas sector to address the situation was also ignored.

    It directed NUPENG members at various depots to stop loading petroleum products in the next three days.

    “Members at the branches in the country must also follow suit,” the statement said.

     

  • NUPENG begins warning strike Monday

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said it would begin a three-day warning strike on Monday.

    This is contained in a statement signed by NUPENG’s General-Secretary, Mr. Isaac Aberare, on Sunday in Lagos.

    The statement said the workers were going on strike over alleged unfair labour practices by some major oil companies in the country.

    “The strike is also to protest the refusal of NARTO to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with the petroleum tanker drivers.

    “We are also unhappy over the bad state of roads across the nation, ‘’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted NUPENG as saying in the statement.

    The statement said that all efforts by the Federal Ministry of Labour to intervene in the issue three weeks ago had failed.

    It said the oil multinationals had failed to implement the agreement reached during a peace meeting brokered by the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu.

    The statement alleged that the union’s call for a stakeholders meeting in the oil and gas sector to address the situation had also been ignored.

    It directed all members of NUPENG at the various depots to stop loading petroleum products for the next three days.

    Members in all the branches in the country must also follow suit,’’ the statement added.