“Nothing constructive took place yesterday. Too much time was wasted on trivialities, for example the Labour CS insisted that the sitting arrangement has to be in a particular way. She also wanted the Secretary General to be seated next to her,” he stated/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 16 – The doctors union is set to meet again with the Ministry of Labour Friday morning after the talks called to resolve the health workers strike aborted.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) officials walked out of the meeting accusing the government side of employing dictatorial tactics.
The union’s Nairobi Branch Secretary General Thuranira Kaugiria told Capital FM News that they were belittled and ridiculed and too much emphasis placed on trivialities.
“Nothing constructive took place yesterday. Too much time was wasted on trivialities, for example the Labour CS insisted that the sitting arrangement has to be in a particular way. She also wanted the Secretary General to be seated next to her,” he stated.
He indicated that the union was ready for talks but stated that the government must also be prepared to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013.
“We are ready for talks with the government. We will not refuse to avail ourselves if we are called. But we will not tolerate the antics being used in the talks,” he said.
In the meantime, patients in Nakuru still faced more agony after over 1,200 nurses refused to return to work claiming that the county government is yet to honor a return to work formula they signed mid this year.
The nurses say that as a result of this, promotions have been affected and arrears not paid.
The nurses’ union General Secretary Seth Panyako who addressed the nurses said the County Government should honour the return to work formula.
“And I want to send a strong message to the County Government of Nakuru. I will not allow them to embarrass even a hair of a nurse,” he said.
Panyako said that nurses in Taita Taveta County also did not report to work because they have pending issues with their employer.
The Secretary General said that although they signed a recognition agreement with counties that should not be taken as an excuse for failing to honour a previous return to work formulas and CBAs.
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