9 February, 2021
The State Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Nurse Kehinde Olomiye has told nurses agitating for industrial action against the government to allow the SEC of the union to follow due process, saying 48 hours ultimatum is not enough to call out for strike.
He stated this while addressing protesting members of the union who rejected the 50 percent salary to nurses in the state.
The aggrieved nurses were at the secretariat of the union in Igbatoro Road Akure, to register their displeasure over the recent payment of half salaries to workers.
“There is no 48 hours ultimatum by nurses to go on strike in Ondo. They knew they must go to their workplace. You must be a nurse before becoming a NANNM member. We will call for SEC when situation improves.
The nurses who were not happy with the half salary are currently mobilising to embark on an indefinite strike action over decision of the state government to pay half salary for the month of November 2020.
The protesting nurses who came with different placards, asked the leadership of NANNM to declare strike like their medical doctors counterparts.
This is coming one week after doctors under the auspices of Ondo Government Doctors Forum (OGDF) began an indefinite strike action.
The protesters said they cannot continue to work on empty stomach until all their allowances are paid.
PATH learnt that it took the prompt intervention of the security operatives and leadership of the NLC led by Comrade Sunday Adeleye to calm the situation.
Reacting, the state Chairman of NANNM, Comrade Kehinds Olomiye who sympathized with his members over the issue of half salaries, said he would meet with his state executive Council to ensure due process was followed in declaring industrial action.
Olomiye said he was surprised that his members invaded the SEC meeting and refused to listen to his explanation.
” I tried to explain the issue at hand so that we can have concrete dialogue at the next meeting. The SEC is the constituted organ to call for strike after meeting.
“I moved off to talk to our members to allow the meeting to hold but the security agent took me away when the place was rowdy.
“There is no strike today in Ondo by Nurses. They know how a strike action is called. When you want to go on strike you must give notices of 21 days, seven days and in between, government may call for dialogue. They know the rules. You cannot just go on strike with 48 hours notice.
