El-Rufai Issues Stern Warning to Health Workers Threatening Strike
The Kaduna State Government has issued a stern warning to its health workers following threats of strike action over 25 per cent deduction in their salaries
The health workers, had in a communique at the end of their joint meeting on Tuesday issued an ultimatum to the state government demanding the refund of their 25 per cent salary deduction.
They also urged the state government to provide them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), declaring that failure to meet their demand, will leave them with no option than to take all the necessary actions within the labour laws.
But reacting in a sternly worded statement on Thursday evening in Kaduna, the state government said it would not “bend to the blackmail” of the health workers.
The statement signed by Muyiwa Adekeye, spokesman to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, warned that any person who failed to show up at his duty post will be deemed to have forfeited his or her employment.
“Government rejects the strike threat and will regard persons who fail to show up at their assigned places of work as having forfeited their employment.
“Every health worker that is willing to work is required to sign the register at the Ministry of Health and the health institutions to which they are deployed,’’ the statement said.
Adekeye further said ‘’those who are not willing to work are strongly warned against criminal action such as attempts to impede access to workplaces, harass willing workers or to sabotage facilities and equipment.’’
According to him, “declaring strike action amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is naked blackmail, based on the mistaken assumption that the state government will reward irresponsible conduct by some health workers with surrender.’’
He said government would not be misled into granting health workers a special status amongst public servants.
The statement said ’the consequences of concessions made along such lines by previous governments have created a sense that some public servants are more precious than others.’’