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A crisis is looming in the public health sector with nurses planning a nationwide strike beginning Monday.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) national chairperson John Bii yesterday said they have opted for the industrial action after the Government failed to sign a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) concluded in February this year. The CBA had been negotiated in September last year.
Bii said the union last year met with all relevant stakeholders, including the office of the Attorney General, Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Health, and agreed on the issues presented in the CBA but wonders why the Government had not signed the important document nine months down the line.
"The CBA agreed on the improvement of all our members working conditions and the absorption of all health workers under the Economic Stimulus Programme on permanent and pensionable scheme," said Bii.
The chairperson said that the strike was initially scheduled to commence on September 22 but they extended the grace period by 60 days after the Government promised to engage them further and sign the CBA.
"The Council of Governors tried to engage us though it disapproved the issues we raised and failed to return to the negotiating table but the Ministry of Health has not shown any sign of helping avert the strike and so we will speak the language they understand better – going to the streets," added Bii.
George Shiveka, KNUN's national deputy treasurer, said that they will paralyse services in all public hospitals across the country if the Government will not have signed the CBA by Monday.
Shiveka, who is also the Bungoma County KNUN secretary general, told the Press at the Uasin Gishu District Hospital that together with other officials, they were traversing the country to sensitise their members of the strike that will commence on Monday if the Government will not have signed the CBA.
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