Nurses in Meru plan strike after talks with county govt fail

Knun Meru branch Secretary-General Nesbit Mugendi addresses striking health workers on September 1, 2015. The Nurses have issued another strike notice for next week accusing the county government of not honouring an MoU signed in 2015. FILE PHOTO | DAVID MUCHUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  AGNES ABOO

What you need to know:

  • The nurses want the county government to implement a return to work agreement signed on September 2015.
  • Mr Mugendi insisted the health workers will down their tools from May 9, 2016 until their grievances are addressed.
  • The nurses issued a two-week strike notice on April 28, 2016 demanding that the county fulfils earlier promises.
  • Meru County Secretary Julius Kimathi said the county has promoted about 54 nurses since 2015.

Nurses in Meru County have vowed to go ahead with their strike slated for next week after talks with the executive stalled.

The nurses, through their branch officials, last week issued a strike notice over the county government’s failure to implement a return to work agreement signed on September 2015.

Speaking to the Nation Wednesday, Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) Meru Branch chairman Mugambi Bakari said despite the county promoting some workers, many other issues like salary increment had not been addressed.

Also Read

“More than 400 nurses qualify for the promotions but the county is lagging behind on implementing the agreement we signed. This is despite a number of engagements with the executive,” said Mr Bakari.

WANT GRIEVANCES ADDRESSED

Knun Meru Branch Secretary-General Nesbitt Mugendi insisted the health workers will down their tools from May 9, 2016 until their grievances are addressed.

“We have had a series of meetings with county health executives and agreed on promotions and salary increase but till now we are not seeing any changes,” said Mr Mugendi.

The nurses issued a two-week strike notice on April 28, 2016 demanding that the county fulfils promises made following another strike in September 2015.

Meru County Secretary Julius Kimathi said the county has promoted about 54 nurses since 2015 and the remaining lot will be promoted later.

This new strike threat by health workers comes a day after nurses in Busia County went on strike demanding that the county government fulfils the original return to work formula signed in October 2015.

In the headlines