By Aminat Miskilu
As the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) strike enters its ninth week, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the decision of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to stop the salaries of striking JOHESU members, warning that the move could trigger nationwide industrial action.
In a statement jointly signed by the TUC President General, Festus Osifo, and the Secretary General, Nuhu Toro, the congress condemned the ministry’s implementation of the “No Work, No Pay” policy through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), scheduled to take effect in January 2026 .
TUC described the circular signed by the ministry’s Director of Hospital Services, Abisola Adegoke, as reckless, authoritarian, and confrontational, alleging that it amounts to a direct declaration of hostility against Nigerian workers, particularly health workers who have continued to shoulder the burden of a collapsing healthcare system under harsh conditions.
According to the congress, the decision amounts to a gross abuse of power, a deliberate sabotage of ongoing negotiations, and a flagrant violation of established industrial relations principles, warning that the move signals a return to command-and-control labour administration, which has no place in a democratic society.
“You cannot negotiate with workers on one hand and unleash punishment with the other. This circular is not policy; it is intimidation, and congress will not accept it,” the statement read.
Congress issues ultimatum
TUC further described the planned stoppage of salaries as insensitive, wicked, provocative, and profoundly unpatriotic, especially amid rising inflation, fuel price hikes, and worsening economic hardship.
It cautioned against what it called the weaponisation of IPPIS to punish workers, stating that organised labour would resist any attempt to starve workers into submission.
The congress issued a seven-day ultimatum for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to immediately and unconditionally withdraw the circular, restore all affected salaries, and return to the negotiation table.
Failure to rescind this decision within the stipulated period, it warned, will compel the congress to mobilise Nigerian workers across sectors for decisive collective action, adding that the responsibility for any industrial tension, disruption of services, or nationwide action that may follow would rest on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and its leadership.
“Accordingly, all affiliates of Congress, as well as the thirty-six (36) state councils and the FCT Council, are hereby placed on red alert and directed to remain on standby for further directives,” the statement read.
Why JOHESU is on strike
JOHESU is a coalition of clinical and non-clinical health workers, including health assistants, radiographers, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, porters, technicians, records officers, and administrative staff across federal teaching hospitals and general hospitals nationwide.
The strike, which officially commenced on 15 November 2025, followed unresolved negotiations over the Federal Government’s failure to implement the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for JOHESU affiliates, which include Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Senior Staff Association of Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).
A recent report by DevReporting indicated that the strike has severely disrupted operations in federal hospitals, leaving patients stranded and limiting access to essential care.
The TUC, alongside the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has historically supported JOHESU’s industrial actions, reflecting its objectives to protect and promote the rights, welfare, and interests of Nigerian workers.
