TUC threatens nationwide action over FG’s stoppage of striking JOHESU members’ salaries

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has condemned the federal government’s decision to stop the salaries of striking members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) under the “no work, no pay” policy.

On January 9, the federal ministry of health issued a ‘no work, no pay’ directive to all chief medical directors (CMD) and medical directors (MD) of the federal government’s hospitals, targeting striking members of the JOHESU.

NAN reports that in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Festus Osifo, TUC president, described the action as provocative and a violation of established industrial relations principles.

Osifo faulted a circular from the federal ministry of health directing the stoppage of salaries through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), saying it was reckless and amounted to intimidation of health workers.

“This circular is not policy but intimidation, and Congress will not accept negotiating with workers while punishment is simultaneously unleashed on them,” the statement reads.

“The stoppage of salaries of health workers who save lives daily is wicked, insensitive and unpatriotic, especially amid worsening economic hardship.”

The TUC president said the action undermined ongoing negotiations between the government and organised labour, adding that dialogue could not coexist with punitive measures.

According to him, health workers have continued to sustain the healthcare system despite poor working conditions and should not be punished for systemic failures.

Osifo also described the salary stoppage as insensitive and capable of worsening hardship at a time of rising inflation and petrol pump prices.

He said the use of integrated personnel and payroll information system (IPPIS) to withhold workers’ pay amounted to an abuse of state machinery and would be resisted by organised labour.

The TUC president said Nigerian workers have historically resisted threats and hunger, noting that intimidation will not lead to submission.

Osifo demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular and the unconditional restoration of all affected salaries.

He also called on the ministry of health to return to negotiations within seven days to avert industrial unrest, warning that failure to do so would compel the TUC to mobilise workers nationwide for decisive collective action.

He added that responsibility for any disruption of services would rest on the ministry for choosing confrontation over dialogue, noting that all TUC affiliates, state councils and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council had been placed on red alert.