Industrial Court reinstates 177 Murang’a health workers

Health workers from Murang'a when they appeared at the Industrial Court in Nyeri on February 25, 2015 for hearing of their case. Judge Byram Ongaya directed that the 177 workers be reinstated pending the hearing and determination of their petition. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Judge Byram Ongaya directed that the workers continue working in their respective health centres under conditions provided in previous contracts.
  • They will also continue receiving their salaries pending the hearing and determination of their petition.
  • The workers want the Murang’a County government to employ ton permanent basis all health workers who had been hired on contract basis through the Economic Stimulus Programme.
  • They also complained about poor working conditions and called on Governor Mwangi Wa Iria to look into the matter.

The Industrial Court in Nyeri Wednesday reinstated 177 health workers from Murang’a who had been sacked by the county government for refusing to sign a return-to-work agreement.

Judge Byram Ongaya directed that the workers should continue working in their respective health centres under conditions provided in previous contracts and to continue receiving their salaries pending the hearing and determination of their petition.

The county wanted them to continue working on contract.

“I therefore direct that the workers continue receiving all the salaries and remunerations,” he ruled.

PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT

In their petition, the workers want the Murang’a County government to employ on permanent basis all health workers who had been hired on contract basis through the Economic Stimulus Programme.

In December 2014, the workers downed their tools demanding to be employed on permanent basis.

They also complained about poor working conditions and called on Governor Mwangi Wa Iria to look into the matter.

“The county government has been deceiving us for a long time by promising to absorb us but when our contracts expire, they dodge us,” Murang’a County Nurses Union Secretary-General Christine Maina said after they staged their strike.

The case continues on April 18, 2015.