The National Health Workers’ Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) has begun an indefinite stay at home action after a two-week notice they gave the government expired.
NAHWUL in a news conference accused the George Weah-led Liberian government of failing to listen to listen to its plights.
The Group’s Assistant Secretary General, Deemi T. Dearzrua, said the strike action starts at midnight, September 16, 2020 and will not cease until the Government implements its demand.
The health workers’ demand includes the issuance of a certificate of recognition to the union, increment of health workers’ salaries in fiscal year 2020/2021, the reclassification of health workers and payment of hazard allowance to all health workers.
They are also asking the government to give COVID-19 benefits for infected health workers and deceased families and the immediate cancellation of a policy on redeployment and transfer of health workers.
It also called for the over 1,000 pensioners over the last six months to be given their just benefits and the gap created on the workflow by their retirement be filled with immediate effect.
Their leader, Joseph Tamba, called a talk radio show on OK FM on Wednesday morning saying he had gone into hiding because of he was receiving threats.
But Information Minister Eugene Nagbe disputed Mr Tamba’s statement.
He said the government had made “some overtures” to address the healthcare workers’ concerns.
He, however, warned that the names of those who will continue with the strike “will be removed from the payroll and replaced” in accordance with, he said, the civil service law.
Local reporters calling the radio programme from different parts of the country said the strike was ongoing at many health facilities.