The Federal Government has opened negotiations with the health workers’ union in a bid to avert planned nationwide industrial action.
At the meeting on Tuesday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige expressed dissatisfaction over the two-week ultimatum handed down by the Joint Health Sector Unions.
He also debunked the claim that the government was owing health workers.
The Minister insisted that those yet to be paid were health workers illegally recruited.
The Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, said the government was doing all within its reach to create an enabling working environment for workers.
JOHESU President, Josiah Biobelemoye, appealed to the government to understand the precarious situation in which his members work, particularly with COVID-19.
The workers are demanding upward review of hazard allowance, upward review of retirement age to 65, non implementation of allowances in 2017 memorandum of action and the non payment of COVID-19 inducement and hazard allowance.