Impending Strike Threatens KNH: Healthcare Workers Demand Collective Bargaining Agreement
A few days after settling the doctors’ strike at Kenyatta National Hospital, another crisis is emerging as all employees of the national hospital in Kenya have been given a seven-day strike warning.
Represented by the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals, and Allied Workers Union (KUDHEIHA), the staff members are insisting that the Ministry of Labour sign a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the years 2021-2025 within ten days. If this is not achieved, they will stop working.
This demand comes amid discontent regarding the delayed signing of the collective bargaining agreement. If the agreement isn’t finalized by the 17th of this month, the workers plan to start a strike on Monday, May 10.
Union Secretary General Albert Njeru told the media on Friday, May 10, about the urgency of the situation. He warned, “If the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Health, and Kenyatta National Hospital don’t solve our problem of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement for 2021-25 by Friday, then all Kenyatta National Hospital employees will stop working starting Monday, the 20th at 7 am sharp.”
Kenyatta National Hospital is the largest hospital in the country, with 1,800 beds, over 6,000 employees, 50 wards, 22 outpatient clinics, 24 operating theaters (16 specialized), and an Accident & Emergency Department.
This potential strike comes soon after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) also issued a strike notice to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for the implementation of a CBA signed in 2017.
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KNUN Secretary-General Seth Panyako warned of a potential strike if the CBA remains unfulfilled, highlighting the ongoing frustration within the healthcare industry over prolonged disputes.
Panyako criticized the government’s approach to employee relations, accusing it of making decisions without consulting nurse leaders.
The absence of consultation on salary changes has further worsened the relationship between the government and healthcare workers.
This situation is unfolding just days after resolving a 56-day strike by the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU).
The government and striking doctors reached a return-to-work agreement after a 48-hour deadline set by the Employment and Labour Relations Court. Without an agreement, the court would have intervened to settle the conflict.
Impending Strike Threatens KNH: Healthcare Workers Demand Collective Bargaining Agreement