SRC yet to give direction on nurses’ salaries and allowances

Kenya National Union of Nurses acting secretary genera Maurice Opetu addresses a press conference at their offices in Nairobi on June 2, 2017, on the status of collective bargaining agreement. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The counties say they have finalised the CBA drawn up in December last year and is ready for signing but awaits the SRC’s “guidance and advice as a requirement of the law.”
  • The Kenya National Union of Nurses directed its 45,000 members not to report to work from Monday until an agreement on their salaries is signed, registered in court and implemented.

The delay in nurses salaries and allowances is because the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) is yet to give direction to the Council of Governors.

The counties say they have finalised the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) drawn up in December last year and is ready for signing but awaits the SRC’s “guidance and advice as a requirement of the law.”

Council of Governors chief executive Jacqueline Mogeni in a letter to the Secretary General Seth Panyako adds: “We are patiently waiting for their response to proceed with the signing. Kindly note and be guided accordingly.”

NO GOOD WILL

This is hours after the Kenya National Union of Nurses directed its 45,000 members not to report to work from Monday until an agreement on their salaries is signed, registered in court and implemented.

The union on Friday claimed the county chiefs had shown no goodwill in having the impasse resolved.

This follows a meeting on May 26 by the SRC where an agreement by the County Public Service Boards and nurses union was reached that all nurses be upgraded. The governors council was to adopt the agreement to SRC by June 2.

Nurses and doctors on December 5, 2016 went on strike over pay disparities .

The strike was called off on December 14 after a return to work formula was signed.