Doctors in Kakamega on Monday withdrew a strike notice they had issued over grievances against the county government.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union met county officials and agreed on measures to solve their disputes.
A CBA implementation committee has been formed and is ready to start discussions.
Promotions for doctors are to be concluded by the end of August and reinstatement of five doctors fired by the county is undergoing a formal process.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, branch KMPDU chairman Anthony Akoto confirmed that the union had withdrawn the strike notice and called on doctors to be calm and continue with their duties.
“We are glad the county government has agreed to address the doctors’ grievances. We confirm that following a meeting between KMPDU and the county government of Kakamega on May 20, we have withdrawn our strike notice,” Akoto said.
The strike notice was issued on May 8.
The doctors had threatened industrial action unless the executive intervened to resolve their grievances within seven days.
The KMPDU leaders had expressed concerns about what they termed deliberate attempts by the county government to frustrate and abuse the doctors’ spirit of good industrial harmony.
They accused the government of blatant breach of the CBA signed between them and the administration.
Akoto also cited the removal of the five doctors from the payroll without any official communication, reason or explanation as another reason for the ultimatum.
They said no doctor in the common cadre job group had been promoted for four years.
No CBA implementation meeting had been held as required by the Council of Governors’ circular of December 20, 2017.
The deal agreed between the Kakamega County government and the doctors was signed on Monday by the chief officer service delivery, James Ochami for the county and Sande Charo and Wesley Ooga for the union. It was witnessed by county attorney Moses Sande.
(Edited by O. Owino)
