TheCable

The federal government has asked chief medical directors and managing directors of federal tertiary hospitals to invoke the no-work-no-pay rule against striking members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The directive was contained in a letter dated August 26 and signed by Adebimpe Adebiyi, director of hospital services, federal ministry of health.

On August 1, NARD embarked on a nationwide strike over salary arrears and owed allowances.

All efforts by the government to address their grievances and get them to call off the strike proved abortive. 

The government directed that the stoppage of salary payment should be effective from the start of the action.

“The ministry is in receipt of the letter from the Ministry of Labour and Employment informing the ministry of the laws governing the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors and the need to immediately apply the provisions of the Section 43 (1) (a) of the Trade Dispute Act on ‘special provision with respect to payment of wages during strike and lockouts’ known in labour parlance as no-work-no-pay with effect from Monday, August 2, 2021 when the strike was commenced by NARD members,” the letter reads.

“Consequently on the above, I am directed to inform you to commence the implementation of the no-work-no-pay policy on the striking doctors including other workers that may embark on strike consequently.

“This directive is in line with Section 43 (1) (a) of the trade dispute act which inter alia states ‘where any worker takes part in a strike, he shall not be entitled to any wages or remuneration for the period of the strike.

“And any such period shall not account for the purpose of reckoning the period of continuous employment and all rights dependent on continuity of employment shall be prejudicially affected accordingly.”

The National Industrial Court on Monday asked NARD to suspend the strike. The doctors have, however, vowed to forge on with the action until the federal government meets their demands.