Striking Nairobi medics to resume work on court order

Normal operations are set to resume at the Nairobi County hospitals after the Employment and Labour Relations Court suspended an ongoing strike by healthcare workers.

Lady Justice Maureen Onyango temporarily suspended the strike under the Kenyan National Union of Nurses, Kenya Union of Clinical Officers and three other unions after Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) filed an application before the court.

The healthcare workers agreed to suspend their strike in compliance with the court order.

The judge ordered that the matter be heard inter-partes on November 11 together with a similar case involving the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union against the Major General Mohammed Badi-led administration.

“In the meantime, the strike notice dated October 16, 2020, calling upon the members of the respondents to picket and/or demonstrate at KICC Building starting from November 1, 2020, is suspended pending inter partes hearing of this application,” read the Tuesday court order.

The NMS moved to the court last Friday under a certificate of urgency seeking for a suspension of the ongoing strike.

“Following the orders of the court issued on November 3, 2020, by Lady Justice Maureen Onyango, members of the unions herein are therefore notified of the suspension of the strike in compliance with the above-cited court order arising from an application filed by NMS,” read a letter signed by the union officials dated November 4.

“By a copy of this letter, all members herein are hereby ordered to resume duties immediately and not later than 48 hours and to continue offering healthcare services in their respective work stations.”

The health workers downed their tools on Monday protesting delayed promotions and re-designations. They also accused the NMS of going against a collective bargaining agreement signed between the parties in September.

This followed a strike notice the health workers issued to NMS on October 16, 2020.