Medical and health workers in Kaduna State have commenced a seven-day warning strike over the deduction of 25% of their April and May salaries by the government.
A communique signed by the representatives of different unions and associations in the state noted that the warning strike is to compel the Malam Nasir el-Rufai- led government to reverse what they christened ‘illegal’ deductions from their salaries.
The communiqué noted that contrary to speculations making the rounds, the strike is not aimed at blackmailing the State Government in the midst of the Covid-19 war.
The medical and health workers stressed that some of their demands include the refund of the 25 percent illegally deducted from the salaries of about 11,000 of their members in the midst of Covid-19 in the month of April and May, 2020, stressing that the action was carried out in clear violation of section 5 of the Labour Act.
“Kaduna State Government paid between 150,000 to 450,000 naira as Occupational Safety incentives to about 300 selected health care workers and non healthcare workers working as staff or volunteer in the isolation centre or serving in some of the Covid-19 pillars.
“Less than 2% of the health care workers in the State benefited from the packages. The promised 10% incentives for other healthcare workers though inadequate is yet to be paid.
“Most healthcare workers that were infected with Covid-19 are from health facilities outside the isolation centres and none of them have been paid the purported N100,000 daily for 10 days,” the communique stressed.