“I don’t think the state government will respond to our demands before that day because we have made series of moves in ensuring government look into our demands but they turned deaf ears.
The chairman of Kwara state medical and health workers’ union, Mr Muritala Olayinka, has announced that the union will commence an indefinite strike on May 2.
Making the announcement on Thursday, Mr Olayinka pointed out that the union had on 18, April 2018, given the state government a 19-day ultimatum to meet the demands of the health workers.
He listed the demands to include an upward review of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) from 50 per cent to 100 per cent and an end to promotion of staff without financial backing.
Mr. Olayinka also said the workers are demanding for the payment of outstanding arrears of salaries of the staff of local governments in the state.
Warning that the union will not go back on its decision until its needs are met, Olayinka said: “I don’t think the state government will respond to our demands before that day because we have made series of moves in ensuring government look into our demands but they turned deaf ears.
“If they make a move now, it is likely going to be a meeting, but it is until when we see approval for our demands before we can make a u-turn on the industrial action,”
Olayinka said that workers are not slaves as he urged members of the union to hang on to the struggle until the state government responds to their demands.
The chairman called on members of the union to be law abiding and adhere to directives from labor leaders on the proposed strike.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede, said that the state government is already looking into the demands of the union and will address them soon.