PRESS STATEMENT
The Joint Action Front (JAF) condemns the unlawful and unwholesome
action of Babatunde Fashola government of Lagos state in the so-called sack of
all the doctors in the employ of the state government. We call on the state
government to immediately and unconditionally recall the doctors and meet all
the demands which they went on strike for.
The action of the state government constitutes a grave violation of
labour laws and international conventions on the freedom of association. The
sack of doctors clearly contravenes the decisions and principle of freedom of
association committee of the governing body of the international Labour
Organization (ILO).
The relevant adjudicated judgments state inter alia:
(661). The dismissal of workers because of a strike constitutes serious
discrimination in employment on grounds of legitimate trade union activities
and is contrary to Convention 98
(662). When trade unionists or union leaders are dismissed for having
exercised the rights to strike, the committee can only conclude that they have
been punished for the trade union activities and have been discriminated
against.
(663) Respect for the principles of freedom of association requires that
workers should not be dismissed or refused re-employment on account of their
having participated in a strike or industrial action. It is irrelevant for
these purposes whether the dismissal occurs during or after the strike.
For the avoidance of doubt, section 628 states as follows:
“Responsibility for declaring a strike illegal should not lie with the
government but with an independent body which has the confidence of the parties
involved.”
Therefore, the Lagos state government does not have power to
unilaterally declare the strike of doctors illegal.
Let it be stated that Nigeria is a signatory to the freedom of
Association and Protection to Organise Convention (1948) and also Convention 98
(The right to organize and collective bargaining Convention (1949)
We stress that the Lagos state government should be held responsible and
liable for the death of Lagosians arising from its refusal to meet the demands
of doctors and its disregards for the right of doctors to strike.
ALUTA CONTINUA!
Dr. Oladipo
Fashina Comrade
Abiodun Aremu
JAF Chairperson
JAF
Secretary
In my own opinion lagos state govt has not violated any labour law, on the contrary it is the doctors that has disrecpected the labour law, the labour law states that before employees can go on strike, there as to be a notice of atleast 15days for their employer, which the doctors clearly violated by going on strike on just 2 days notice, not considering the consequence of their action, in as much as i would like the govt to reinstate the doctors,they should only be reinstated after they(doctors) must have tender an unreserved apology to their employer and the people of lagos.
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