Nurses threaten to take action over unpaid dues

Some 13 counties are yet to pay nurses the outstanding salary arrears covering the period they were on strike as contained in their November 2 return-to-work formula.

And now nurses have issued an ultimatum to the devolved units to pay up by close of business Friday or face protests.

Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) secretary-general Seth Panyako said the counties yet to pay the salary arrears are Bungoma, Nakuru, Nyeri, Homa Bay, Elgeyo Marakwet, Tharaka Nithi, Makueni, Kakamega, Wajir, Laikipia, Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Kericho.

Mr Panyako said the union would start a fresh round of demonstrations he termed “salary parades” to compel the devolved units to meet their obligations.

“If the affected counties will not honour their commitments as outlined in the return-to-work formula signed on November 2, 2017, we shall be holding salary parades outside their headquarters starting from Monday next week,” the union boss said.

ULTIMATUM

Additionally, the union has issued a two-week ultimatum to the national and county governments to sign the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was due to be signed on or before November 31, 2017.

Should the government fail to sign the CBA within the ultimatum deadline, Knun has threatened to hold a national governing council meeting for further direction.

“If the NGC decides on further industrial action, we will begin the year with a fresh round of strikes,” he said.

In the document outlining the terms for resuming duty signed by their union, the county and national governments, the devolved units were to pay nurses their withheld salaries latest by December 31.

The three parties agreed to have the nurses’ uniform and the risk allowances paid in the next financial year.

AGREEMENT

At the formal announcement of the agreement held at the Council of Governors Nairobi headquarters, CoG chairman Josephat Nanok had said the parties agreed to increase the risk allowances to Sh30,000 in the 2020/2021 financial year.

Mr Panyako warned the two levels of government against taking the nurses’ ultimatum lightly, saying they were ready for further industrial action in their mission to get their dues.

“No one should underrate nurses since we have already been on strike for five months before and are ready to resume a fresh round of strikes if that is the only option,” he said.

Further, Mr Panyako hit out at the Sisters of Assumption for the forcible takeover of St Mary’s Mission Hospital, Lang'ata, saying their action was not reflective of the Catholic Christian faith.

He threatened to take action against the nuns for evicting nurses, saying they now had the union to represent them.