Federal government has issued an order to stop payment of salaries of the resident doctors in the country who embarked on nationwide strike on Monday.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige disclosed this Friday night.
The minister said the government would refer the dispute between it and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to the National Industrial Court for arbitration.
He said the federal government had decided that if by Monday, the resident doctors fail to return to work they would be made to lose the pay beginning from the day of the commencement of the strike until it is called off.
“The no work, no pay rule has been triggered off with effect from Monday August 2, and if by Monday they do not return to work, government will be compelled to implement the order to the letter,” he said.
Ngige said that the government would also compute the period that the resident doctors went on strike in April and seize their salaries, adding that a circular to that effect has been issued and communicated to NARD and its members by yesterday.
He added that the government would by Monday declare talks with doctors on a failed negotiation and proceed to refer the issue to the Industrial Court.
“I will also take additional steps to declare discussions with the doctors a failed conciliation and refer the matter to the arbitration panel or National Industrial Court,” he said.
