The Leadership of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigerian (MHWUN ) has directed its members to join in the ongoing nationwide warning strike declared by the organised labour.
Mr Biobelemoye Josiah, MHWUN President gave the directive at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
The organised labour had accused the Federal Government of stalling the negotiation by failing to mention a figure as a new minimum wage for workers in the country.
The leaders had also on Sept. 12 issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum insisting that the Tripartite Committee on the new National Minimum Wage should conclude its work within the stipulated time frame.
Labour, however, insisted it would commence nationwide warning strike over the non-implementation of the new National Minimum Wage with effect from midnight of Wednesday, Sept. 26.
Josiah said the strike had become necessary as the union was an organ of the Nigeria Labour Congress and it was not violating any court order.
It would be recalled that the Health Workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) had embarked on strike for almost one and half month over government refusal to implement memorandum entered with the union.
It would also be recalled that a Non-governmental Organisation had taken the issue to court.
“As the organised labour with its civil society allies commence warning strike to protest the refusal of the Federal Government to reconvene the meeting of the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee to conclude their work.
“We at the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, wish to register our unalloyed support to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“We have watched with keen interest the unfolding events leading to this unfortunate situation and are convinced that organised labour has exhibited the highest level of civility and patience.
“They have also exhibited respect for due process in the quest for the legitimate aspirations of the working class,’’ he said .
He, however, noted that the National Wage Committee was inaugurated in November, 2017 and commenced work in March 2018 with timeline to arrive at a new minimum wage in August or September.
He also noted that the union was shocked to learn that government had decided to adjourn the meeting of the committee indefinitely with a purported intention to make consultations.
“We see this decision as against the principle of collective bargaining, an act of bad decision and deliberate ploy to delay negotiation and subsequent implementation even when the current minimum wage was long overdue, ’’ he added.
He said that the justification for a new minimum wage cannot be overemphasised as all the indices that justify wage increase have been introduced by government or market forces have propelled their emergence.
