The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has threatened to embark on indefinite strike if the Federal Government bowed to pressures by the Joint Health Workers’ Union (JOHESU) to approve for them equal salary structure with medical doctors.
NMA had observed that JOHESU’s demand was contrary to collective agreement it reached with Federal Government in 2014 and vowed to vehemently oppose any adjustment in CONHESS salary scale that would result in pay parity with other healthcare professionals.
JOHESU had downed tools over the failure of the federal government to honour an agreement between it and the unions in the sector.
Reacting, however, NMA reminded government of its letter no. NMA/PRE/SG/03/0751 dated 21st March 2014, which reads in part, “we painfully wish to inform the government that any award to non-medically qualified health professional that violate the previous agreements shall result in the industrial action.”
NMA President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, in a statement, on Thursday, said they were not against career progression of allied health professionals but will not accept any decision that would allow for multiple appointment of directors in a department without such being applicable to medical doctors.
He described JOHESU as an “amorphous” union that is on motivated agitation for pay parity between its members and medical doctors, and had mobilized its members at the state level to join.
He described JOHESU’s demand for appointment of other health workers as Consultant with payment of specialist allowance as a self-centered agitation that could put them in charge of clinical care.
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