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JOHESU seeks payment of outstanding welfare packages

Health workers under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have called for the payment of some outstanding welfare packages for it’s members. In a letter to the Minister of Labour and Employment, signed by Acting National Secretary,

 

JOHESU, Chief Matthew Ajorutu, JOHESU said it was particularly worrisome that some of its demands arising from specific court judgments, collective bargaining agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have been treated with levity and outrightly violated for almost a decade in some instances.

 

 

“We wish to intimate the minister that some of these lingering welfare challenges of our members which include, implementation of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) consent judgment, withheld April and May, 2018 salaries of members and adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS).

 

Also, inclusive in the demands, according to the union, was the review of implementation of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance.

 

JOHESU called this a very important subject matter which was germain to the career, progress and wellbeing of all health workers under the agies of JOHESU. Ajorutu emphasised that the undiluted implementation will go a long way to return the lost harmony which will in turn enable effective, efficient and affordable healthcare delivery to the masses of Nigeria.

 

 

“The minister will observe that the Federal Government has been mandated through specific intervention plans with timelines to ameliorate the restiveness of our members, since December, 2019 through the Consent Judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN). He said this development was a product of many years of rigmarole and discriminatory disposition of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) on issues that border on JOHESU demands.

 

“This action took us through negotiations with the Federal FMoH, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E) and a complete complement of other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Our members have noted the relative inactivity that ensued after the consent judgment of the NICN and therefore humbly request that the FMoH immediately energise the necessary machineries for the actualisation of the vari-ous ADR resolutions.

 

 

“The reality as it stands now is that the FMOH has violated the judgment of the NICN because many of the time lines have expired without it being implemented nor attended to. JOHESU specifically demands that the Federal Ministry of Health be compelled to immediately set up the reflected structures in line with the NICN judgement,” he advised. Ajorutu noted: “Implementation of the Five -man committee report on Specialist Allowance for Health Professionals.

 

The FMoH to present a fresh memo to the National Council on Establishment (NCE) on the review of the retirement age of Health workers as done for Federal Universities and Colleges of Education.

 

 

In writing such Memo, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) should take cognisance of the resolution at ADR which counselled that the FMoH should make it clear in its new originating memo that the beneficiaries are healthcare workers in the Federal Health Institutions.”

 

On the appointment of Board members, the FMoH in line with agreements should ensure appointments be made in line with enabling statutes and ensure that representatives of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and other Professional Associations are appointed to fill vacant membership slots.

 

“Also, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should as a matter of utmost urgency begin the processes to implement the 30th September, 2017 Agreement on Adjustment of CONHESS Salary Structure. (Attached),” he added.

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