TUC Rejects Health Ministry’s ‘No Work No Pay’ Policy
TUC Rejects Health Ministry’s ‘No Work No Pay’ Policy
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has formally rejected a circular from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare regarding the “No Work, No Pay” policy.
The policy, which was set to take effect in January 2026, aimed to stop the salaries of members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) who have been on strike since mid-November 2025.
In a joint statement, TUC President Festus Osifo and Secretary General N.A. Toro condemned the directive as a “gross abuse of power.”
They argued that the government’s move is a deliberate attempt to sabotage ongoing negotiations and represents a regressive “command-and-control” approach to labor relations that is unsuitable for a democratic society.
The Congress emphasized that the stoppage of salaries would severely worsen the financial hardships faced by health workers. With Nigeria currently grappling with high inflation and rising fuel prices, the TUC maintains that the ministry’s unilateral action violates established industrial principles and ignores the economic realities of its workforce.
The TUC has called for the immediate withdrawal of the circular to prevent further escalation of the industrial crisis.
They insist that lasting stability in the health sector can only be achieved through genuine dialogue and the fulfillment of existing agreements, rather than through punitive financial measures against striking employees.
