No-Work, No-Pay: Buhari `Pardons’ Health Workers

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a pardon of health workers affected by the Federal Government’s order of no pay for workers who go on strike, the minister of labour and employment, Dr. Chris Ngige said on Thursday.

He said that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed has been ordered by the president to release the salaries of health workers, including doctors on compassionate grounds.

Ngige, confirmed this development when he fielded questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday. He said the president has since approved the authority letter to release the funds of the resident doctors for September and October 2021.

The minister, who earlier met behind closed door with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, said the presidential approval for the release of the salaries was on compassionate ground and to encourage the affected workers to perform better in their respective places of work.

According to Ngige, the approval covers members of the Joint Health Services Union (JOHESU) who went on strike in 2018.

Speaking on the decision of Buhari to ‘pardon’ the health workers, Ngige said: “The President graciously approved that we pay back some funds, some wages, which we did not pay health workers.

“First, section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act says that when a worker goes on strike, especially those on essential services, the employer can also refuse to pay. That is what they call it the ‘No Work, No Pay Rule’.

“But these health sector workers; doctors, pharmacists, nurses and members of JOHESU, are trying to make sure that we create an equitable environment for them to function.

“As a first step, Mr. President last week directed the Minister of Finance to release the funds of the resident doctors for September and October 2021, which was seized in conformity with the law.

“In the same vein, the approval also covers members of the JOHESU who went on strike in 2018 for three months.

“After the first month, after March, when they couldn’t come back, we asked that their pay be suspended. This is in tandem with the ILO principles at work.

“You have a right to strike, but the employer has a right to stop your remuneration and if possible, use it to keep his enterprise going by taking new hands, where possible, especially in essential services.

“So, that same money for 2018 April and May, Mr President has again approved that the Finance Minister refunds or re-imburses them on compassionate grounds.

“This is predicated on the grounds that this group of workers has been showing a lot of dedication and concern to the COVID-19 and that their Hazard Allowance for 2021 had remained what it was before.

“So, on compassionate grounds and…we agreed that they should be getting this money to keep their morale high. We’re not yet free of COVID-19 and the new mutants, we need to do everything to keep the health workers here happy,” Ngige said of the decision by Buhari to pardon the health workers.

“In the same vein, President Buhari has also directed us to conclude the discussions on the other allowances for the health workers so that they can enjoy it anytime from now.’’

The minister announced that the meeting of Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages would be convened on Dec. 17 to ratify the new pay hazard structure for health workers.

He disclosed that the president had also directed relevant agencies to conclude the discussions on the other allowances for the health workers to uplift their standard of living quality.

The minister emphasised that efforts must be made to ensure industrial harmony in the country to allow all sectors to operate well.

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