The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association have vowed not to go back on their two-week strike notice.

The unions’ threat came amid the ongoing industrial action by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The federal government has scheduled a meeting with them on Tuesday.

Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour issued a statement on Monday.

Ministry Chris Ngige will chair the meeting at the minister’s conference room at 2pm, Akpan announced.

On September 3, JOHESU gave a 15-day ultimatum over outstanding welfare allowances owed to its members.

Their demands include adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHES) as in Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) since 2014 and payment of withheld April and May 2018 salaries of members in Federal Medical Center, Owerri, JUTH and LUTH.

They want a review of the defective implementation of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance, implementation of National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

The workers are demanding assessment of consent judgment and other court judgments, increase in retirement age from 60 to 65 years for health workers and 70 years for Consultant Health Professionals.

JOHESU is calling for a review of hazard allowance in terms of payment that guarantee fairness to all concerned, payment of 30 percent consolidated basic shift duty allowance to Nurses/Midwives and others, payment of teaching allowance to members on CONHESS 7 and 8 (Nurses, Midwives and others).

They further requested proper placement of Nurse Graduates and Interns, payment of outstanding salaries of intern health professionals and all the Tertiary Health Institutions.