Ekiti doctors declare indefinite strike over unpaid salaries

Medical doctors in Ekiti State on Wednesday declared an indefinite strike in protest of their five-month unpaid salaries and to demand improvement of medical facilities in their hospitals.
The notice of strike was issued in a communique signed by the acting president of the Association of Resident Doctors, Tunji Alaoye, and the chairman of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, Ekiti State, Folu Ekundare.
Other labour unions such as the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in the state have been on strike for over three weeks for reasons of unpaid salaries.
But the government had a relief when health workers initially withdrew from the industrial action citing love for the citizenry and the hope that the government would consider paying their January salary from the last federal allocation.
“This is to notify the general public especially residents of Ekiti State and its immediate environs that rising from a joint emergency meeting of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, Ekiti State, branch(NAGGMDP))and the Association of Resident Doctors in Ekiti State Teaching Hospital held on the 14th of June 2016 at the NMA Doctors House along Ado-Iyin road to discuss issues bordering on the welfare of doctors working with the Ekiti state government(state specialist hospitals, general hospitals and the Ekiti state University teaching hospital) a painful, hard, unfortunate and difficult decision that could have been avoided if the necessary actions had been taken, was reached by our members,” the communique read.
“All members of the above named associations, (NAGGMDP Ekiti State, and ARD EKSUTH) have resolved to embark on a total and indefinite strike action, starting from midnight on the 15th of June 2016.
“We implore the general public to bear with us as we assure you that we are always open to dialogue and negotiation.”
Speaking to my source by phone, Mr. Alaoye said the strike action followed the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum given to the state government.
He said the state government did not respond to the notice of 21 days.
He said the doctors had made a four-point demand, which include the payment of their five-month salary arrears, improvement of facilities in the hospitals, promotion of members who are due, and improving funding for training of resident doctors.
The Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose, has maintained that he had not enough funds pay salaries, while appealing to striking workers to return to work.
He has also refused to engage them in any negotiations, saying they would return to meet him after the strike as he could not sell himself to pay them.