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The Federal Authorities has warned members of the Nationwide Affiliation of Resident Medical doctors to shelve their deliberate five-day warning strike, describing it as unlawful.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, issued the warning at the moment shortly after receiving a letter from the NARD government notifying him of the approaching industrial motion, billed to begin midnight at the moment, Could 16, 2023
Reacting to the letter, dated Could 16, 2023 and delivered to his workplace at about 5pm similar day, Ngige mentioned on receiving the letter, he contacted the Minister of Well being, who knowledgeable him {that a} assembly has been scheduled by his workplace with the resident docs on Wednesday, Could 17.
He due to this fact suggested the docs to avail themselves of the chance for social dialogue with their employer, relatively than embark on a warning strike, which is unknown to the regulation.
He mentioned, “I’ll advise them to attend the assembly with the Minister of Well being tomorrow. I may even advise them very strongly to not go on five-day warning strike. There may be nothing like warning strike. A strike is a strike.
“In the event that they need to take that danger, the choices are there. It’s their choice. They’ve the best to strike. You can not deny them that proper. However their employer has one other proper underneath Part 43 of the Commerce Dispute Act, to withhold their pay for these 5 days.
“So, if the NARD has strike funds to pay their members for these 5 days, no downside. The Well being Minister will instruct the educating hospitals to make use of adhoc individuals for these 5 days and they’ll use the cash of the individuals who went on strike to pay the adhoc docs. That’s the ILO rules at first rate work, particularly for these rendering important providers. Lives must be protected. One in every of my sons is a resident physician. I’ll advise him to go to work and signal the attendance register. The individuals seen at work are those to obtain their pay. In case you don’t work, there shall be no pay.”
Commenting on the 5 calls for of the docs, Ngige mentioned the Federal Authorities lacks the powers to compel the states to cultivate the Medical Residency Coaching Fund, since well being is within the residual checklist, the place each the federal and state governments have the powers to legislate.
In response to him, the job of the Federal Authorities is to make coverage and the place the states disagree, they’re at liberty to make their very own coverage.
He added that the federal authorities can not bully the states into domesticating the MRTF if they don’t need to.
Relating to the difficulty of fast fee of the MRTF to their members, he mentioned it was appropriated within the 2023 funds, however has not been launched, because the 2022 funds was nonetheless operating, including that these in 2022 have all been paid.
He denied the declare by NARD that the Federal Authorities didn’t pay minimal wage consequential adjustment arrears to their members, saying that each one staff within the Training and Well being Sectors, and even the defence businesses benefited from the adjustment.
He famous that the docs can not declare nationwide strike as a result of some states have been owing their members, declaring that the federal authorities can not additionally dabble into the difficulty, being a state matter.
Equally, he mentioned the Federal Authorities because the Govt arm of presidency can not intervene within the invoice on the Nationwide Meeting to bond docs for 5 years, as it’s a personal member’s invoice.
In response to him, any intervention by the chief on the matter impinges on the autonomy and independence of the legislative arm of presidency.
Ngige mentioned though the invoice has handed by way of first and second studying, he was certain it could be shot down on the public listening to, for the reason that regulation prohibits pressured labour.
He suggested the docs to not discuss 200 % pay rise, because it was not possible, including that apart from all the federal government has achieved for docs and different staff within the well being sector, akin to upward evaluation of hazard allowances, the Nigeria Medical Affiliation was already negotiating with the Federal Ministry of Well being, Nationwide Salaries, Incomes and Wages Fee and the Presidential Committee on Salaries on pay rise for docs.
“It’s incongruous for pupil docs to embark on strike when consultants coaching them have been already negotiating with the Federal Authorities.”
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