National Health Workers' Union of Liberia declares nationwide strike

The National Health Workers' Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) has declared a nationwide 'stay home action' as of midnight, September 16, according to a news report by 

Health workers are seeking to compel President George MannehWeah's regime to address public health workers' demands including salary increment, reclassification of health workers, and health workers' hazard allowance payment, among others.

Following a mass health workers' meeting at the union's headquarters in Paynesville Tuesday, September 15, Deemi T. Dearzrua, NAHWUL Assistant Secretary-General told a press conference that he and his group are afraid to go into a meeting with the government due to alleged threats from the government.

"Upon this backdrop, the National Health Workers' Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) is [constrained] to withdraw from health facilities across the country as of midnight September 16, 2020 - hereby declare the "STAY HOME ACTION" until the Government of Liberia can meet our demands," he says.

"The people who have the mantle, the people who have the ability, the people who have the ways and means to have these problems solved are the people who now instead of addressing the issues, they are now threatening the staff," Dearzrua claims.

He said that the authorities here have threatened to put the police and the military in the street if health workers get out to stage a protest, alleging that it was even demonstrated by the alleged deployment of police at the John F. Kennedy Hospital compound Tuesday.