The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has threatened to resume industrial action, just a month after its members went back to work.
KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako stated that all nurses would strike from 1st February if an increase in the Nursing Service Allowance that had been promised by the government would not be paid.
According to Panyako, the nurses had agreed to resume duties in December after a promise to receive allowances at the start of January and July. The allowances were to be paid on a 60:40 ratio as the health workers continue to negotiate a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Panyako stated that those between job group G to L were to be paid Sh20,000, meaning that they would receive Sh12,000 at the start of January and the rest in July.
Nurses who are in group M and above were to receive an allowance of Sh15,000 which was also set to be paid in the same formula.
The Secretary General declared that if the money is not included the January salary, nurses would resume their strike from February 1.
He also demanded that negotiations on the CBA which were to begin in January should be hastened so that the agreement is signed and deposited in the courts.
In December 2016, the nurses signed a return to work deal with the Ministry of Health and Council of Governors bringing a week-long strike to an end.
