The Leadership of the Nigerian Union Of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Bayelsa State chapter, has joined the national leadership in the ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), demanding for the swift adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
Speaking on Tuesday, State Chairman, Comrade Fefegha Muneneyi Edwin, disclosed that the decision to embark on strike was difficult but unavoidable following prolonged negotiations over the adjustment of the CONHESS without meaningful progress since 2014.
Comrade Edwin, while addressing members of the Union at their Secretariat, said health workers has remained committed to their duties for years, but the persistent failure of the federal government to implement the agreed CONHESS adjustments despite three separate adjustments made to Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
“This violates the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), that mandates simultaneous adjustments for both structures. We are not unaware of the hardship this action may have caused the public, but after several failed attempts to reach a resolution with the federal government”
He also affirmed the unions commitment to securing fair compensation, improved working conditions and better service delivery for health workers.
According to the National Public Relations Officer, NUAHP, Comrade. Stanley Edumson, noted that government’s refusal to honour the agreed terms has kept everyone in a standstill, adding that the reason why they embarked on the strike action was because they couldn’t take government’s position.
“Two salary structures were enacted and as a provision in the content of those agreement was that when there will be adjustments, it must affect both structures, but three times the other one has been adjusted but the one that affects us most is not adjusted”
Whenever there’s strike it affects the patient most and they suffer more. So we are appealing to them to look at that agreement which is key to the progress of the sector.
