Nurses countrywide to go on strike if their service allowance is not reflected in this month’s salary.

Striking nurses wave placards while demanding harmonised package. (Courtesy)

NAIROBI—Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has issued a two weeks strike notice if their service allowance is not reflected in this month’s salary.

Secretary general Seth Panyako said yesterday that the government and counties have reneged on the return-to-work formula agreement signed last year which included Sh20,000 as service allowance, the People Daily reported Thursday.

“We had an agreement in place before resuming duty after our strike last December,” Panyako said, adding that unless their demands are met, the union “shall mobilise all its members to abdicate duty as from June 5.”

But the Ministry of Health  and counties have blatantly violated this pact,” he said. “At the end of this month, if our pay slips do not reflect the Sh20,000 we agreed upon as service allowance, nurses will definitely lay down tools,” he added.

Panyako further said another strike is looming on July 1, if the negotiated collective bargaining agreement is not registered at Moi Training and Referral Hospital.

On December 14 last year, KNUN signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health and Council of Governors (CoG) effectively suspending a week-long strike which had commenced on December 5.

Under the truce, the parties agreed to expedite the conclusion of a harmonised Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by March 2, something that is yet to happen.

The December accord was signed by all the Chairpersons of County Service Boards with the assurance that nursing service allowances would be disbursed subsequently.

Panyako however accused the county administrations for hording money that had otherwise been disbursed to them by the national government for payment of the allowances.