Nigeria in soup as health workers, teachers vow to join nationwide strike

The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) Monday directed its members to shut down operations in their various working places by midnight on Monday 5th November 2018 and proceed on an indefinite strike in observant of the nationwide strike scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday).

President of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah, said the government should be held responsible for any hardship that may occur as a result of the strike.

“You may recall our national body, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the [rest of the] organised labour have called on all workers in Nigeria to gear up for an indefinite nationwide strike, which will commence midnight today,” he said.

“This is as a result of the Government’s failure to implement the constitutional requirement of the upward review of the national minimum wage which is long overdue.”

Meanwhile,

The Niger State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers has also instructed all teachers in the state to observe the nationwide strike in demand for increment of wages by organised Labour.

Ibrahim Umar, state chairman of the union gave the directive on Monday at the end of the State Wing Executive Council meeting held at the NUT Teachers House in Minna.

Umar said, “We received a directive from the national body that by 12 midnight of Monday, if nothing happens in the affirmative, we should join in the national strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress.”

The state chairman, while disclosing that the number of teachers in the state has reduced from 30,000 to less than 27,000 said, “We want Governor Abubakar Bello to send an executive bill to the state House of Assembly for the express approval to increase the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years and 35 to 40 years of service.”

He added that Niger State Government should regularise the release and implementation of members’ promotion at both primary and post primary school levels between 2015 and 2017.