Fresh Crisis Brew Between Lagos State And Doctors Over Unpaid Salaries

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Monday, December 1st, 2014

Ayo Balogun, Lagos

Fresh crisis is brewing between the Lagos State Government and doctors under its employment as the government says it will not pay the doctors outstanding two months salaries incurred when the doctors embarked on strike during the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in the State.

The state government has come out open to say it is not owing the doctors any salary except two months salaries which government would not pay because the doctors embarked on strike, as it is enforcing the no work-no pay law to withhold the salaries.

The doctors, under the aegis of Medical Guild had demonstrated at the weekend to express their grievances over two months salary the state government owed them, among other issues. The protest, which was held at the hospital premises at Ikeja, was taken round the vicinity of the hospital.

Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr Ibiyi Kufo, accused the Lagos State government of employing an apartheid system of government by insisting it would not pay the doctors because they did not work for the said three months for which salary is owed.

“Other unions have embarked on such strikes in the past, such as ASUU, JOHESU, NUT, ASUP, but these workers were paid for the months they did not work. So, why would Governor Fashola adopt the no work, no pay rule for doctors? The policy runs against the international laws of labour. It takes away the right to strike, which every worker is entitled to,” Kufo said.

In a sharp reaction, the government said it would not pay the doctors as it had intimated them of government’s no work-no pay policy, saying it is not owing doctors any salary arrears and had paid them what was due to them.

But debunking the allegation, the government said the complaint by the doctors refered to July and August 2014 during which period the affected doctors went on strike adding that their salaries were not paid in accordance with the Government’s policy of “No Work, No Pay”.

Government also recalled, with regrets, that the period of the doctors’ strike unfortunately coincided with the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos State pointing out that all entreaties to the striking doctors to see reasons and call off the strike were ignored.

In a Statement, jointly signed by Chairman, Health Service Commission, Dr. M.O. Salako and the Chairman, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. O. Williams, the State Government said it has promptly resumed payment of salaries of the Doctors since they resumed work.

The statement, which reiterated that the State Government’s Policy of “No Work, No Pay” was still in force, pointed out that the policy was informed by the fact that it was unjustifiable for any worker to be paid for work not done maintaining that any group of its employees that embarked on strike in contravention of the laid-down procedures governing such actions would be so treated for the period of strike.

Assuring all citizens of the administration’s commitment to its responsibilities of protecting life and property in the State at all times, the statement reiterated that “Government’s policy of “No work, No pay” remained in force, meaning you cannot be paid for work not done.”