Nurses and Midwives of UCTH begin Indefinite Strike...

The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) yesterday began an indefinite strike.

The association, which comprises nurses and midwives, is protesting the alleged non-payment of three years arrears of their uniform allowance, four years arrears of training allowance and other allowances, promotions and the general conditions of the hospital, among others.

UCTH’s NANNM Chairman, Sylvester Ugor, told our reporter that the association started the strike, following what he called the futile attempts to make the management address its demands, especially the payment of uniform allowance.

Members of the union, last week, gave the hospital management a seven-day ultimatum and, since Thursday, have been wearing mufti to work to protest the non-payment of their uniform allowance.

Ugor, whose executive council took over in March, said several negotiations with the hospital management had failed to yield any result.

The chairman said the association would continue the strike until the management settled the debts or made “reasonable commitment”. He urged the hospital management to do something about the situation.

Ugor said: “Want we want is for our money to be paid and we will get back to work. Our job is to save lives, and we are not happy being at home. It is our calling to save lives. If they settle our issues or show reasonable commitment, we would go back to work with immediate effect.

“When we assumed office in March, we presented 11 issues to the hospital’s management to address. It was during a courtesy visit. Surprisingly, nothing has been done. We have had several consultations and nothing happened.”

Authorities of the UCTH refused to comment on the matter.