Lagos – Mr Pius Imue, the Commissioner of Police, Railway Command, Lagos, on Friday advised health workers to use protest and strike only as last resort to demand for improved welfare from the management.
Imue gave the advice at the inauguration of the state executives of Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Meta Chapter, on Friday.
He was represented by his deputy, Mr Amadi Ogbonaya.
According to him, it will not be appropriate for the police to always be invited as a result of health workers’ dispute or protest over improved welfare.
‘’There are many ways you can negotiate with the management to attend to your welfare.
“Protest and strike should always be the last resort to resolve industrial dispute as health workers because of the crucial nature of your profession to humanity,’’ Imue said.
In his remarks, Mr Moshood Akinade, the General Secretary of SSAUTHRAI, advised the new executives to shun violence in the course of addressing the challenges facing their members.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
Akinade also appealed to them to work together in one accord in order to achieve a common goal.
‘’There are lots of ways you can adopt to tackle the challenges facing the health workers apart from going on strike or staging protest,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Adetokunbo Shaba, the Public Relations Officer, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Lagos State Chapter, urged the new leaders of the association to work toward moving the organisation forward.
‘’I advise you to shun protest and other negative ways of fighting for the workers’ interests for the sake of society and humanity,’’ Shaba said.
In his comments, Dr Munirah Jinadu, the FMC Chief Medical Director, said that the management was ready to work together with the association leadership.
‘’The management is ready to partner the association and cooperate with the new executive in the overall interest of humanity,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Lanre Arise, the newly inaugurated chairman of SSAUTHRAI, said that the new executive would partner with the management in the areas of staff motivation and development.
Arise said that SSAUTHRAI would collaborate with other health-related associations to work toward engendering industrial harmony.
‘’While I agree that strike should not be the first resort in tackling the interest of the workers, most management of organisations that I know, including FMC,are responsible and strategically pro-active,’’ he said. (NAN)