Nurses Union signs return to work formula with MoH

The Kenya Union of Nurses and Midwives has signed a return-to-work formula with the Ministry of Health, signaling a new beginning in their dealings.

Transcript

00:00It is true that the nurses have waited for this CPA for more than 10 years.

00:04We have agreed more than four times and it's changed. We agree it's changed.

00:08But at long last we have a collective agreement that will serve as a foundation for the future engagement.

00:15As a nurses' union we have resolved to engage our employers both in public and private sector

00:21through the law and specifically putting forward the issue of dialogue.

00:26We do not want to engage in industrial actions because most of industrial actions,

00:31the end result is loss of human life.

00:33And when we lose a human life, you cannot repair it, you cannot bring it back.

00:37We have met some grounds which are going to be a foundation to achieve what we have.

00:42But one of the key issues is that the government made a promise with us in 2017

00:46of enhancing our uniform allowance, collective agreement, uniform allowance

00:51and nursing service allowance and risk allowance.

00:55In this CPA we have gotten our risk allowance.

00:57We have gotten our uniform allowance enhanced by 5,000 shillings.

01:01We expect it to go up to 25,000 in subsequent CBAs.

01:05And also the nursing service allowance to go to 30,000 in subsequent CBAs.

01:09I thank Moi Teaching and Revival Hospital, the only public institution within health sector

01:14that has fully implemented the return to work formula of 2017.

01:18I want to assure the union that as agreed in this collective bargaining agreement

01:24we shall endeavour to deliver on our part as a government.

01:29Our request therefore is to the union to urge their members to continue

01:34dedicating themselves to delivery of service at this very critical juncture

01:41where we are implementing universal health care coverage.

01:45I want to call upon all the health workers to collaborate and work closely with the government.

01:53This is the union that has not gone even on industrial strike in a very, very long time

02:02because we have been in conversation and we have agreed on a number of issues

02:07and they have been patient and you can see patient's face.

02:11Secondly, this is the first ever collective bargaining agreement with the Ministry of Health

02:17and we are happy to achieve it together and again implement the same together.

02:25So I want to ask my dear brother, Panyako, that the same patients that have seen him

02:33go through this and agree with us is the same kind of issue that we would want to continue working together.

02:47For more information, visit www.fema.gov