• The nurses maintain that the law permits an employer to volunteer any incentives to employees as a measure to boost morale.
• Last week, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua promised his health workers a special allowance of Sh5,000 to Sh20,000 depending on qualification
The nurses national union has threatened to take industrial action in seven days if the Salaries and Remuneration Commission does not withdraw a letter cautioning governors against introducing incentives to health workers.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses says in a letter seen by the Star, that failure to withdraw the letter will leave the union with no option but to advise its members to prepare for industrial action.
The SRC told the Council of Governors on April 9 not to award any incentives to health workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The commission said that counties should seek permission before awarding special allowances.
Last week, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua promised his health workers a special allowance of Sh5,000 to Sh20,000 depending on qualification to help them during the Covi-19 pandemic.
But SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich said due process was not followed, adding that such an award is unlawful and causes inequity in remuneration across the country.
“The government is raising funds to facilitate the fight against coronavirus... in light of scarce resources, it is prudent to use the available resources by providing personal protective equipment,” Mengich said.
The nurses maintained that the law permits an employer to volunteer any incentives to employees to boost morale, appreciate them and to cushion them against danger.
“The contents of your letter is hereby marked with contempt, and we read extreme insensitivity in exhibiting such a conduct,” the union's letter says.
On the issue of inequity, the union said there are nurses employed by county governments on contract with consolidated salary of Sh30,000 yet they perform similar job with nurses earning higher salaries.
“Is this not discrimination? Has SRC advised the county governments on the matter? We find your letter misplaced, ill motived and done in bad faith to demoralise health workers who are sacrificing their lives and working extra hours to save the lives of Kenyans,” the union says.
It adds: “It is only a dictate of societal morals that should persuade you to volunteer goodwill during this health crisis in all measures possible to arrest this pandemic and not divulge the commission’s resources and name in such unnecessary acts.”
The union lauded Mutua for introducing special allowances to health workers in his county, and called on other governors to emulate him.
NNA president Alfred Obengo had earlier told off the commission, asking it to stop irritating workers "during these tough times".
He said health workers are working abnormal hours in an abnormal situation combating an abnormal disease.
“Your letter is not just provocative, but extremely insensitive, to say the least. Am rather convinced that we may not be living in the same country with the chairperson of SRC,” Obengo said.
CoG chairman Wycliffe Oparanya has defended the award of special allowances to health workers.
Oparanya said they are guided by regulations from their respective public service boards. He said the allowances are a short term measure to boost health workers’ morale and double their efforts in saving lives and combating the spread of the virus.
“Such incentives are key motivators to the health personnel who are overwhelmed during this period when all eyes are on them as they combat the spread of the pandemic,” he said.
Oparanya, who is the Kakamega county boss, urged the SRC to instead support programmes put in place by county governments to improve the welfare of their employees.
- mwaniki fm