NAIROBI
The National Treasury will provide resources to ensure full implementation of the Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the government and hospital workers from July this year. The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Mr James Macharia, said yesterday as the government acted to diffuse a strike by nurses that paralysed operations at Kenyatta National Hospital.
The Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement was negotiated by the Government and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospital Workers (KUDHEIHA) in 2009 in which workers were to get salary increments and allowances. The Secretary assured that the Government would fully implement the agreement and urged the union officials to call off the industrial action.
“I further call upon all the staff to fully cooperate to alleviate the suffering of patients and thank all those members of Kenyatta National Hospital Staff who have continued to offer services during this period industrial action,” he said.
Workers at KNH went on a go-slow on Wednesday, paralyzing operations at East Africa’s biggest referral facility. The more than 4,000 workers are demanding Sh1.3 billion in salary increase and allowances.
The hospital management, led by the CEO Richard Lesiyampe, held a meeting with the union representatives but no agreement was reached as the workers vowed to down their tools if their demands are not met.
According to the union’s secretary, Mr Daniel Omoga, the hospital had ignored all previous notices issued on the impending strike. On his part, KNH’s communication officer and spokesman Simon Ithae said on Tuesday that the Treasury had not released the funds to cater for the workers’ salary increase and allowances.
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