The negotiations meetings between the union executives of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) and the management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) aimed at ending the ongoing industrial strike embarked upon by the MHWUN chapter of NAFDAC ended up in deadlocks over the weekend
The management of NAFDAC led by Director General, Professor Moji Adeyeye, Mr. Oboli Augustine, Director Of Admin Mr. Ayanwande Olusegun Director Of Finance, Mr. Ololade PA DG and MHWUN labour leaders led by Comrades Adetula Sunday, National Vice President ,South West, Com. Enwen Deputy General Secretary MHWUN, Adetoboye Ayodeji of Federal Area Council Chairman/Branch Chairman MHWUN NAFDAC. Others are Comrades Makeri Jerry Chagga, Lynda Awoju and Aledech ,Annabel Onuoah and Chinomso Okoroama on Friday at agency’s Headquarters Abuja held the meeting on how to end a week industrial action of agency’s workers
The agency’s workers embarked on an indefinite strike action due to the failure of the management to implement the agreements reached between the two parties in 2022 on Workers’ welfare related various benefits.
Parts of the agreements signed in 2022 were;
The union agreed to shift ground on payments of 2021 promotion arrears . It is no longer a basis of suspension of the strike but should be paid by September 2022.
The balance of 20% of hazards allowances be paid to all staff immediately before the strike should be suspended
A special committee involving the federal ministry of health that will consist three members each from all the parties be formed with the aims of securing and approving allowances on hazards, productivity, conditions of service etc.
The special committee be set up to pursue a benefiting salaries ( CONSSNAFDAC) already domiciled with NSIWC.
The committee should give progress reports to the Minster of state for health within four weeks from the day the agreement was signed.
All regulatory officers must invite for foreign cGMP basic training and equal scheduled for cGMP inspection/audit using the nominal roll.
That the vacancies be expanded for 2022 promotion excerise across the board to have an optimum reduction in tension and guarantee industrial harmony in the agency
Non regulatory officers should also be considered for training in their respective scopes of works.
That on no account should any work be intimidated penalized or victimized for taking in the industrial action
*That the strike be suspended immediately after the agreement has been signed and 20% balance of hazard allowance paid to all staff.
A breach of any part of these agreements will lead to resumption of the suspended strike action by the union
A mild drama however, ensued when leaders of MHWUN asked the NAFDAC’s DG, Professor Adeyeye to tell members of a parallel union believed to have being formed within the agency called the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) to leave the hall as there were not supposed to be part of the meeting, the arguments lasted for some minutes before the DG succumbed to the union executives pressure and directed that the ‘rival’ union to leave the hall.
Meanwhile, the Friday meeting ended in deadlocks on the ground that the management was not specific on the definite time it will start the implementation of 2022 agreements while the union claimed that workers have run out of patience saying the management is being insensitive to the workers plights .
The MHWUN leader, comrade Sunday Adetula while answering questions from journalists said ” The meeting ended in deadlock because NAFDAC management dribbled us all through, they kept promising no time frame to implement the agreements we signed since 2022.
“We were trying to convince the management just to be specific on the actual dates and months it will start the implementation but no specific date or months mentioned throughout the the two days negotiation meetings in short they could not convince us the time they will start the implementation
According to him, “apart from the 2022 Agreement issues, new issues bothering on unjustified promotion practices is also generating acrimony within the Agency , how do we reconcile a situation where only about 36 percent of members of staff were promoted while others that passed the same promotion examination were denied promotion with the flimsy excuse that no available vacancies to accommodate others, such lame excuses would not be accepted by the Union leadership, knowing fully well that promotion is a great motivational factor that can boast staff morale. .
“The management is being economical with the truth because where the management said there was no vacancy for staff to rise through the ranks, they were still recruiting new staff to fill up those vacancies which is against the public service rules,” Adetula concluded
“He therefore, said that the ongoing industrial action embarked upon last week by NAFDAC’s MHWUN workers continue till the NAFDAC management ready for another dialogue that will will end the strike.
