FG Orders Stoppage of Striking Doctors’ Salaries

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo

Federal government has commenced the implementation of the no work, no pay rule for striking doctors with effect from Monday August 2, 2021.

In a letter dated Friday, August 26 and signed by the Director of Hospital Services Department in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, the federal government directed all the Chief Medical Directors and Managing Directors of federal government’s tertiary health institutions to commence the implementation of the no work, no pay rule for the doctors that were on strike and any health worker that may join the strike subsequently.
The letter addressed to the chief medical directors and managing directors of federal tertiary health institutions and titled : ” Re- Law and Principles Concerning the Right to Strike; Application of Section 43 (1) (A), of the Trade Union Act Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, (no work, no pay) states: ” We are in reciept of a letter from the Minister of Labour and Employment informing the minister of the laws governing the ongoing strike by the members of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the need to immediately apply the provisions of section 43 (1) (a) of the Trade Union Act on special provisions with respect to payment of salaries during strikes and lock outs, known in labour parlance as “No work, no pay” with effect from Monday, August 2, 2021 when the strike by NARD members commenced”.
“Consequent on the above, I am directed to inform you to commence the implementation of the no work, no pay, policy on the striking doctors, with effect from Monday August 2, including other health workers that may embark on strike subsequently.
” You are to compute the financial implications of the no work, no pay rule from the salaries of the resident doctors and any other health worker that participated in the strike, using the attached template and forwarded to the IPPIS office, through the Federal Ministry of Health for implementation”.