Striking nurses from KNH yesterday called off their two day strike. Speaking on phone to the Star KUDHEIHA secretary general Albert Njeru said that they called off the two day strike after the government agreed to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement they signed.
“The government has agreed to pay us all our arrears. They assured us that the money was included in this years budget,” Njeru said. Earlier in the day, they said that they will only call off the strike once they sign a return to work formula.
The nurses said that late on Wednesday, the government had agreed to pay their arrears. They went on strike on Wednesday demanding that the government pays them Sh1.3 billion it owes.
Under the leadership of Kenya Union of Domestic, Hospital, Educational Institutions and Health Allied Workers the nurses said they went on strike after KNH refused to fulfill its part after they signed a collective bargaining agreement.
They
said that the Industrial Court ordered in 2011 that
they should be given a 46 per cent salary increment, 23 per cent house allowance and Sh1,000 to Sh2,000 leave allowance.
KUDHEIHA officials said
the government had agreed to implement the Agreement from July 1. “We the workers are impressed by the government’s move. We are now preparing to sign a return to work formula. We do not want to see patients die,” Njeru said.
He added that immediately they sign the return to work formula, they will resume work. However, Cabinet secretary for Health James Macharia yesterday called on the nurses to resume duty and said they will get their benefits.
Macharia said the government will ensure
the full implementation of the CBA of 2009 to 2013 from next month. Outgoing KNH CEO Richard Lesiyampe said their benefits will include 46 per cent salary increment.
Operations at the Country’s top referral hospital were still paralysed yesterday as nurses did not attend to patients. Some of the patients sought treatment in private hospitals.