The terrible state of labour relations in Nigeria’s public health sector

The Mail & Guardian looks into the terrible state of labour relations in Nigeria’s public health sector, where workers in public sector hospitals have been striking on and off for the last three years. The workers are represented by the Nigeria Medical Association, the National Association of Resident Doctors and the Joint Health Sector Unions, an umbrella trade union that incorporates pharmacists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and other non-medics. “There are two reasons health workers are striking. The first is a dispute over the nonpayment of salaries as well as nonpayment of special allowances that the government had agreed to. The second relates to working conditions and the state of Nigerian hospitals, including equipment and funding. At the heart of the problem is the fact that the Federal government made several deals with health workers but reneged on its undertakings. These agreements were reached through collective bargaining. The National Industrial Court of Nigeria ruled in favour of the Joint Health Sector Unions based on the fact that it had reached agreement and secured undertakings from government through collective bargaining.”