NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) signed a return-to-work formula with the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
The signing ceremony, which marked a new chapter in their professional relationship, was officiated by Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni and her counterpart in Medical Services, Harry Kimtai.
The government’s commitment to uphold the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was a focal point of the ceremony.
“We shall endeavour to deliver on our part as government. Our request is to the union to urge their members to continue dedicating themselves to service,” stated PS Kimtai.
Union Secretary General Seth Panyako highlighted several victories achieved through the CBA, including enhanced allowances for risk, uniforms, and nursing services.
“In this CBA, we have secured our risk allowance, our uniform allowance enhanced by Ksh.5000, and we expect it to increase to Ksh.25,000 in future CBAs. Additionally, the nursing service allowance is set to rise to Ksh.30,000 in subsequent agreements,” Panyako explained.
Panyako also commended the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) for being the sole facility to implement the return-to-work formula established in 2017.
Reflecting on the decade-long struggle to finalize the CBA, Panyako expressed relief and optimism.
“The nurses have waited for this CBA for more than 10 years. We have agreed more than four times, and it is changed. At long last, we have a CBA that will serve as a foundation for future engagement,” he noted.
Emphasizing the union’s commitment to dialogue, Panyako stated, “We do not want to engage in industrial actions because the end result is the loss of human life.”
This sentiment comes in the wake of a nurses’ strike in May 2024, highlighting the critical need for a stable and mutually beneficial agreement.
