Counties

Relief for patients as Nyeri nurses end strike

nurses

Nurses in Nyeri protests outside the County Government headquarters where they were seeking audience with governor Samuel Wamathai on May 8, 2017. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NMG

Nurses in Nyeri County have resumed work following a three-week industrial action that had paralysed operations in public hospitals.

This follows negotiations with authorities at the devolved unit who have urged the medics to return to their stations as they wait for further amendments sought to appease them.

The nurses want their promotion letters backdated to November last year compared to the letters they have received that are effective from May 12 this year.

“I am calling upon the nurses to return to work immediately as they await for further negotiations into backdating the promotion letters,” said Governor Samuel Wamathai.

More recruits, promotions

Approximately 438 nurses were promoted by the county government and 65 more recruited.

This is the first time the devolved unit is promoting nurses since the inception of devolution in 2013.

More than 400 nurses have left the hospital in the last five years for greener pastures or through retirement.

The delay to promote and hire nurses in the county was blamed on a prolonged standoff between the public service board and the county which was later settled out of court.

More than 1,000 nurses who participated in the strike had vowed not to resume work until their grievances were fully met.

They cited irregularities in the awarding the promotions, claiming they fail to honour the promotion accord by leaving out some members.

“Some have received letters but are not on the list, some are on the list but have not received letters and huge number of us are detained in the same job group,” said one of the nurses Tuesday.