The Federal Government said it has invoked the “No work no pay” rule as contained in Section 43 of the Labour Act on striking doctors. Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the position of the government has been communicated to the leadership of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). According to Ngige who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, an employer has every right to replace an employee who abandons their duties, especially as it pertains to essential services. “He will also withdraw your money and use it to pay those he has acquired during the period you were away,” he said. “If you go to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles at work, it guarantees a worker the right to strike but it has consequences”. He said, “Next week, I’ll escalate this issue because reconciliation has failed.
“I won’t meet them anymore because I have other things to do. I had two conciliations yesterday (Thursday). Am I going to be wasting my time with them?
“I have other tools within the labour laws and I will use them. I invoked Section 43 of the labour laws this afternoon (Friday). I have communicated it to NARD. They will not receive money for the period they are on strike and it will never count as a period of pensionable position in their career.
“Even the International Labour Organisation supports it because they render essential services. They are not supposed to go on strike without notifying me 15 days before the day of the strike.
“As we speak, I have not received any notification and that is why I am invoking Section 43 of the Labour Act – on the withdrawal of services, right to strike, and the right to protect the employer and their patients.
The NARD on Friday said its members were not moved by the threat by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to invoke the no-work-no-pay policy.
It said its members were determined to stand their ground against every form of intimidation by government.
The association’s National President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, said this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday.
