According to the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), the talks progressed well Thursday after the government tabled a proposal which the health workers were considering/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 – Talks between the government and nurses are set to resume Friday even as doctors remained adamant that they will only go back to work following the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013.
According to the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), the talks progressed well Thursday after the government tabled a proposal which the health workers were considering.
Without divulging details of the discussions, the union’s assistant chief trustee Charles Alisoreng told Capital News that a breakthrough is expected Friday before they make any announcement.
“I can’t tell you the details of the discussions but what I can reveal is that we are making progress. The government side tabled a proposal which we are considering and we hope to make an announcement later,” he stated.
On Thursday, doctors dug in their heels after consultants from the Kenyatta National Hospital joined in the strike which began on Monday.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Ouma Oluga emphasized that they will accept nothing less than the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013.
While apologizing to Kenyans who have been affected by the strike, the Union’s chairman Samuel Oroko stated that the blame is squarely on the government for not being sensitive with their demands.
Doctors union officials abandoned the talks insisting on a 300 per cent increase as outlined in a Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013.
Earlier, a group of medical practitioners also held demonstrations to Afya House to press the government on their pay demands.
In agreement with their union officials, the practitioners vowed to remain put till the Government honours the disputed CBA, which they say will harmonize their salary across all Counties.
According to Kenya National Union of Nurses Nairobi branch Deputy Director Ediah Muruli, they are currently having major salary discrepancies which have negatively impacted on their performance.
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