The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret has signed Collective Bargaining Agreements with the four unions representing more than 3,500 hospital workers.
The four-year CBAs have been signed with the doctors union (KMPDU), the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), KUDHEIHA) and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco).
KUCO was the last one to signed its first CBA at the hospital.
Hospital CEO Dr Wilson Aruasa and Kuco secretary General George Gibore said the four CBA will enable clinical officers to more efficiently serve patients because of improved terms and conditions of service.
Dr Aruasa said the hospital had completed signing CBAs with all the four unions representing all the hospital workers.
"We will register the CBAs in the Industrial and Labour Relations Court as we implement all that we have agreed with the unions," Aruasa said.
He said all the CBAs had been carefully negotiated for more than one year. He assured all employees they will benefits from increased pay, plus other financial and nonfinancial benefits.
“With the CBAs in place, we have enhanced the good working environment for our employees in all cadres and we believe this will also ensure quality service to all the people we serve," Dr Aruasa said.
All union leaders praised Dr Aruasa and the entire hospital management for taking the lead in ensuring CBAs are in place without waiting for disruptive industrial actions.
The nurses union KNUN called the hospital the best employer for nurses in the country.
KNUN secretary general Seth Panyako and top officials of the union said MTRH headed by Dr Aruasa offered the best terms and conditions of service for nurses in the country.
“Unless it’s outside the country like in the US, there is nowhere in the country where a nurse can get the best working environment and even pay if not at MTRH”, Panyako said.
He spoke at the hospital where he signed the CBA.
Panyako said MTRH was the best managed health facility in Kenya and the East African region. He proposed Dr Aruasa be appointed PS in the Ministry of Health.
who had headed the facility developing it into a world class service provider should be appointed as PS in the ministry of health.
He said under Dr Aruasa’s leadership. there had been no industrial disputes involving nurses and urged chairperson of the Council of Governors Anne Waiguru to ensure counties emulate MTRH in dealing with the welfare of workers.
“In any institution. success depends on human resources and that why we at MTRH will always value the contribution of or employees and strive to give them the best working environment." Aruasa said.
Dr Aruasa and secretary general of KUDHEIHA Albert Njeru last week also signed a four-year CBA
He said the hospital was keen to ensure smooth flow of services because it serves patients from Kenya and other parts the region including Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania among others.
MTRH had also signed a CBA with doctors union KMPDU, giving the medics increased salaries among other financial and non-financial benefits.
Dr Aruasa said all the CBAs factored in guidance and advice from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
He said MTRH leads in ensuring a good and secure work environment for its staff. He said there are few disputes between staff and management.
(Edited by V. Graham)
