CoG in talks with clinical officers’ union to end strike » Capital News
NAIROBI Kenya, May 14 — The Council of Governors (CoG) has commenced talks with the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) to iron out outstanding issues and end an ongoing strike.
In the meeting held on Tuesday between CoG and the Union, the two parties laid down issues up for discussion with KUCO insisting on honoring the 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that settled on a risk allowance of Sh15,000.
The talks got underway even as CoG insisted its hands were tied on the matter arguing, the national government was better placed to respond to demands by KUCO.
“Collective Bargaining Agreement is not on the table so we hope that now we can be able to set the parameters on which part we are supposed to work on. We are two different governments with national government and, in our discussions, today let us isolate issues that we (counties) have to work on,” Governor Tharaka Nithi Muthomi Njuki, Chairperson of the CoG Health Committee, said.
Peter Wachira, KUCO Chairperson, said the union will engage the CoG further on Thursday despite the stance adopted by the Governors’ Council.
He insisted that discussions with the CoG must be anchored on the CBA.
“Governor Muthomi the CBA must be on the table because we have negotiated about 80 per cent of this. It is not something that can take us two weeks if we sit and negotiate with goodwill. And as a union we have good will,” Wachira said.
Stalled CBA talks
Clinical Officers had joined the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in their strike but the latter called off their strike on May 8 after a truce with the national government.
KUCO wants the prolonged negotiations on its Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to conclude. The talks have stalled since 2017.
The union also wants clinical officers working on contracts confirmed as permanent staff with pensions.
KUCO is also seeking career progression guarantees citing stagnation since 2013.
Also on the Union’s list of demands is the recruitment of 20,000 clinical officers.
KUCO also demanded the Ministry of Health adhere to 2020 approved internship staff establishment guidelines and the approval of Career Progression Guidelines for clinical officers.
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