- Strike Suspension: The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA) have agreed to suspend their seven-day warning strike effective from midnight, October 31.
- Reason for Suspension: The decision to suspend the strike was made in the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and in the general public interest ¹.
- Demands: The union’s demands include immediate implementation of CONHESS adjustment, payment of 25% CONHESS Review arrears, and payment of nine months’ salary to staff of Regulatory Agencies.
- Retirement Age: One of the demands also includes the commencement of the process to upwardly review the retirement age of health workers.
- Next Steps: The Federal Government has six weeks to meet all its obligations contained in the MoU, after which the union will convene an expanded NEC meeting to review developments and take appropriate decisions.
- Potential Next Action: If the government fails to implement its obligations, an indefinite strike action will be the next option.
It’s worth noting that raising the retirement age has been a topic of discussion globally, with some countries considering increasing the retirement age to boost their economy and address aging demographics . However, this move has also raised concerns about the potential impact on the health and wellbeing of older workers, particularly those in physically demanding jobs.
