The leadership of Organised Labour in Ondo State on Thursday commenced an indefinite protest and picketing of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH/FUTATH), accusing the institution’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Sylvester Ojo, of violating agreements reached on the migration of inherited workers into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The industrial action followed an emergency meeting between the Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor on Health, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, and the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and affiliate unions in the health sector.
At the end of the meeting, the labour leaders unanimously rejected an appeal by the state government to suspend the planned protest, insisting that the actions of the Chief Medical Director had undermined the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) jointly entered into by the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government to guide the transition of workers following the takeover of the hospital.
The position of Organised Labour was contained in a joint communiqué signed by the Ondo State Chairman of the TUC, Comrade Clement Fatuase; the State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Ademola Adeniji Olapade; and the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Oluwasegun Ajiboye.
The communiqué alleged that despite the clear provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding, Prof. Ojo abandoned the officially agreed nominal roll of inherited workers and instead carried out what the unions described as a selective IPPIS capturing exercise, leaving out several workers who were legitimately entitled to be integrated into the federal payroll system.
According to the labour leaders, the development represents a fundamental breach of the implementation framework painstakingly negotiated by all parties and has created uncertainty over the employment status and welfare of many affected workers.
The unions also accused the Chief Medical Director of allegedly compelling some workers to sign undertakings renouncing their membership of trade unions before they could participate in the IPPIS capturing exercise.
They described the alleged action as an unacceptable violation of workers’ constitutional and statutory rights to freedom of association, stressing that no employee should be forced to relinquish legitimate trade union membership as a condition for accessing employment benefits.
Organised Labour further alleged that the integrity of the IPPIS exercise had been compromised following reports that individuals who were allegedly not bona fide employees of the teaching hospital were secretly captured into the payroll system within the hospital premises on the night of Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
The labour leaders said the alleged nocturnal exercise has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the implementation of the migration process and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the exercise.
The communiqué also accused the Chief Medical Director of intimidation, harassment and threats of arrest against labour leaders who had continued to demand strict compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding.
According to the unions, such actions amount to an attempt to suppress legitimate trade union activities and discourage workers from demanding their lawful rights.
Following what they described as exhaustive deliberations, Organised Labour resolved that the Chief Medical Director’s actions constituted a clear violation of the Memorandum of Understanding and the mutually agreed implementation framework governing the transition process.
The unions therefore declared an indefinite picketing of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital with immediate effect, maintaining that the protest would continue until every legitimately inherited worker is captured into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System in accordance with the provisions of the MoU.
They further resolved to deploy every lawful industrial relations mechanism available under Nigerian labour laws to defend the rights, welfare and job security of the affected workers, warning that they would not tolerate any attempt to undermine due process or victimise workers for belonging to trade unions.
While acknowledging the intervention of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, the labour leaders maintained that only concrete steps to reverse the alleged irregularities and ensure full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding would bring the industrial action to an end.
The unions also appealed to the Ondo State Government to intervene decisively by compelling strict compliance with the agreement entered into with the Federal Government and restoring industrial peace within the institution.
Organised Labour reaffirmed its commitment to justice, equity, due process, the rule of law and the protection of the legitimate rights and dignity of every worker, insisting that the ongoing protest is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the transition process rather than disrupting healthcare services.
As of the time of filing this report, the management of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital had not issued an official response to the allegations contained in the communiqué, while the indefinite picketing by Organised Labour was ongoing.
