The management of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) Ilorin, has criticised the members of the hospital’s chapter of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) for negating the rules of Industrial Relations over their ongoing five days warning strike.
Besides, the management threatened prompt invocation of ‘No Work No Pay’ extant directives of the Federal Ministry of Health on the striking doctors if they failed to call off the action.
According to the management after its emergency meeting last Thursday, the doctors in their letter ARD/UITH /SEC/OUT/17/56, dated August 1st 2017 had premised the declaration of the strike on the decision reached at its emergency meeting of 31st July 2017, thereby depriving the management of adequate statutory period required in serving notices before the declaration of any form of Industrial Disputes.
The UITH management said the commencement of the strike on August 2nd, barely 24 hours after serving the notice, remained a malicious action and a deliberate step aimed at shunning duties.
It however registered its displeasure over the short notice of the current strike, which gave no window for engagement, but reminded the association of the ‘No Work No Pay’ directive of the Federal Ministry of Health.
The UITH management stated that it remains open to negotiations aimed at stopping the present strike and preventing a recurrence of same.
The local ARD through its Chairman Dr Kolawole Ige had alleged non-payment of certain emoluments of its members without tangible reasons by the management, as the strongest reason for the declaration of the strike.
But according to the Head Corporate Affairs Unit of the hospital, Mrs Olufunmilayo Omojasola, “management of UITH has always paid all resident doctors in its employment complete salaries as and when due except on a few occasions when funds were remitted late. “Management did not renege on any promise as alleged as there was no reason for that.”
The hospital’s management while disclosing ongoing discussions with the union on entry level of House Officers, said it was committed to the implementation of adjustments “after a proper directive from Salary and Wages Commission.”
Meanwhile, despite the ongoing industrial disharmony, normal activities remained unabated at the hospital as consultants have firmly taken over the duties of the striking doctors by attending to all patients.
