The Commerce Union Congress (TUC) has backed the commercial motion embarked upon by the Joint Well being Sector Unions (JOHESU).
JOHESU, an affiliate of TUC, directed its members to proceed their ongoing industrial motion that began on November 15, 2025, regardless of a Federal Authorities’s directive implementing the ‘no work, no pay’ coverage.
The choice adopted an emergency digital assembly of the union’s nationwide management held on Monday, January 12, after the expiration of a 72-hour extension of the strike.
Reacting, the TUC knocked the Federal Authorities for allegedly making an attempt to intimidate the protesting well being employees with out contemplating the financial realities.
TUC rejected a round issued by the Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Welfare on the implementation of a “No Work, No Pay” coverage and the stoppage of salaries of members of the Joint Well being Sector Unions by way of the Built-in Payroll and Personnel Data System, efficient January 2026.
In an announcement launched on Wednesday, collectively signed by its President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary Basic, N.A. Toro, the congress described the directive as unacceptable and mentioned it undermined ongoing negotiations between the federal government and well being sector unions.
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The TUC mentioned the motion violated established industrial relations ideas and accused the ministry of appearing unilaterally whereas negotiations had been nonetheless ongoing.
In response to the congress, the stoppage of salaries of JOHESU members would worsen the hardship confronted by well being employees amid rising inflation, gasoline worth will increase and broader financial challenges.
The assertion reads, “The Commerce Union Congress of Nigeria unequivocally, vehemently, and completely rejects the round issued by the Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Welfare on the so-called implementation of “No Work, No Pay” and the stoppage of salaries of members of the JOHESU by way of IPPIS, efficient January 2026.
“Congress states within the clearest phrases that this motion is a gross abuse of energy, a deliberate sabotage of ongoing negotiations, and a flagrant violation of established industrial relations ideas.
“It represents a return to command-and-control labour administration, which has no place in a democratic society. Let or not it’s clearly understood: You can’t negotiate with employees on one hand and unleash punishment with the opposite. This round will not be coverage; it’s intimidation, and Congress is not going to settle for it.”
The TUC additionally warned towards what it described as the usage of IPPIS to penalise employees, stating that it will resist any try and strain employees by way of wage stoppages.
“Let or not it’s clearly understood: You can’t negotiate with employees on one hand and unleash punishment with the opposite. This round will not be coverage; it’s intimidation, and Congress is not going to settle for it. The stoppage of salaries of JOHESU members, employees who day by day save lives, is depraved, insensitive, provocative, and profoundly unpatriotic, particularly at a time when Nigerian employees are already being crushed by inflation, gasoline worth hikes, and financial hardship imposed by authorities insurance policies.
“The TUC warns that the weaponisation of IPPIS to punish employees is an abuse of state equipment, and Congress will resist any try and starve employees into submission, ” the Union mentioned.
The TUC demanded the instant and unconditional withdrawal of the round, restoration of all affected salaries and a return to negotiations inside seven days.
It warned that failure by the ministry to reverse the choice throughout the stipulated interval would pressure the congress to mobilise employees throughout sectors for collective motion.
