•Health Acting Chief Officer Dr Enock Ondari says no health staffer would be spared if they engage in the ‘illegal strike.’
•The workers say they began receiving the letters last week.
Image: MAGATI OBEBO
Kisii County has stopped the payment of salaries for striking clinicians and nurses with warnings of possible massive sackings for those who refuse to heed the call to return to work.
Some have received show cause letters.
Health Acting Chief Officer Dr Enock Ondari says no health staffer would be spared if they engage in the ‘illegal strike.’
The workers say they began receiving the letters last week.
Union officials however say any move to sack them would be a sign of cowardice and would be met with fury.
They said no amount of intimidation would subjugate their spirit adding that the strike would go on until their demands are met.
The county administration is relying on the December ruling by the Employment and Labour Relations court sitting in Nairobi.
In giving the ruling, Justice Nzioki Makau had ordered a temporary relief by suspending the strike for 14 days.
He said this was to allow negotiation before a mention of the case today.
In Kisii, the County said the health workers have refused to honour the injunction.
Officials said the failure to return to return constitutes a breach of scheme of service.
Some of the striking staff said they were given their letters on Monday with warnings that they risk the sack if they refuse to resume work.
In the letter, Acting Chief Officer Helath Enock Ondari said all striking workers need to explain why they should not be dismissed for failure to return to work as directed by the court.
“It has come to the attention of this office that you failed to resume duties following the suspension of strike by the Employment and Labour Relations office sitting in Nairobi on 16th December , 2020,” said the letter in part.
“Absconding of duty,” goes on Ondari , "is a serious breach of discipline that can lead to your summary dismissal from service with loss of terminal benefits .’’.
The County, he said, has begun instituting disciplinary action against the striking health staff which would involve ‘summary dismissal from the service .’
He however said the County would give them a chance to defend themselves and show why they should not be sacked.
“Your representation, if any , should reach this office within a period of seven days, failure to which the intended action will be taken without any further reference to you,” said Ondari.
Union officials however dismissed the letters.
“Let the administration be more engaging than resorting into such nonsense as show cause letters. We believe through dialogue we can get somewhere instead of wasting office stationary writing such letters that have nothing than empty threats,” said Victor Bwanchete of the Clinicians union.
He said the workers will only respond positively if their demands are met.
The health care workers are pressing for personal protective gear and insurance for them as they attend to Covid-19 pandemic patients.
Among their demands, the nurses in Kenya want the families of 26 nurses who died due to Covid-19 to be compensated by the state..