Health workers in Meru set to strike over delayed promotions

Health workers in Meru have issued a two-week strike notice citing failure by the county government to promote them.

Addressing the media in Meru Town on Thursday, officials of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun), led by Meru secretary Nesbitt Mugendi, said they will down their tools on October 5, 2016 if their demands are not met.

A strike notice by Knun general secretary Seth Panyako states that the health workers are open to dialogue with the county executive until October 4, 2016.

Mr Mugendi said the county government had failed to implement promotions despite promising to do so last year.

“We were to receive feedback on promotions in March this year but nothing has happened. We issued a strike notice in May but it was suspended after the health executive promised to effect promotions. He was to mobilise resources from the cabinet to facilitate the promotions,” Mr Mugendi said.

STAGNATED

He said despite the county executive promising to do internal advertisements for promotions in July, no promotion has been effected.

“Members have been adversely stagnated in one job group due to devolution. We will not take anything short of action this time.

“If no action is taken in the next one week, Meru will experience the mother of all strikes in the health sector,” he said.

Mr Bakari said more than 2,000 health workers will down their tools if the demands are not met.

Ms Rose Makena, another official of the union, said the county was losing health workers to Embu, Wajir and other counties that were giving better terms.

“Some of our colleagues have left for greener pastures in Wajir where they get double what we earn here.

“Other counties are giving better incentives to their workers while in Meru we are demotivated,” Ms Makena said.

They said despite the county employing new health workers, those who have served since 2009 were denied the right to career progression.