Meru health workers vow to go on strike tomorrow

Meru health workers have vowed to go on strike tomorrow over delayed salaries and failure by the county to fulfil a return-to-work agreement entered in July.

The county and workers’ unions agreed to effect common cadre promotions from August, end delays in payment of salaries and statutory deductions, which they say are yet to be fulfilled.

Addressing journalists in Meru town yesterday, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers said there was no turning back after a seven-day strike notice expires on Thursday.

KNUN Meru branch secretary-general Nesbitt Mugendi said they also demanded sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) as more health workers test positive for Covid-19.

“We will not be meeting the county executive again because we have had enough meetings this year. Despite the many boardroom meetings, we are yet to be paid October salaries, and statutory deductions remain unpaid for months. We will report back to work when the county government honours the agreement,” he said.

“We are working without pay yet our workload is increasing because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The county government must ensure there is sufficient supply of quality PPEs for all health workers.”

KMPDU upper eastern chairman Dennis Mugambi said about 30 doctors were yet to be paid their Covid-19 allowances.

In the agreement, health workers who were yet to get common cadre promotions were required to apply to get salary increments by September.

Extra or non-cadre promotion advertisements were to be done by September 1 and be effected by October and or not later than November 1. Union officials said they expected more than 950 workers to be promoted during this financial year.