Lecturers, medics issue strike threats

Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By OUMA WANZALA

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By JAMES KARIUKI

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Summary

• The university lecturers were the first to go, giving the government until February 12 to table an offer for 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) or face work boycott.
• Separately, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) national chairman Samuel Oroko tweeted that doctors would go on strike in the next 14 days if its members working in medical schools at public universities are not allowed to earn allowances.

A new round of labour unrest is simmering in the public sector after lecturers joined doctors in issuing strike threat on Thursday.

The university lecturers were the first to go, giving the government until February 12 to table an offer for 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) or face work boycott.

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) secretary general Constantine Wasonga said the negotiations must be concluded urgently to enable the factoring in of the CBA in the budget estimates for financial year starting July 1.

“Uasu NEC expresses disappointment with the Inter-public Universities Councils consultative forum and the government over lack of progress in the talks,” said Dr Wasonga who was accompanied by top union officials among them chairman Muga K’Olale.

The statement which came after the union’s national executive council was categorical that the union would issue “an irrevocable” seven day strike notice on February 13 unless the government comes up with an offer.

According to the return-to-work formula that was signed by the union and vice-chancellors committee chairman Francis Aduol in December, the talks were supposed to start on December 18 and be concluded by January 31.

“Uasu NEC has agreed to grant the universities the additional time it requires to consult with the leadership of the Ministry of Education,” said Dr Wasonga.

Separately, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) national chairman Samuel Oroko tweeted that doctors would go on strike in the next 14 days if its members working in medical schools at public universities are not allowed to earn allowances.

“In the next 14 days, the government must pay new allowances to all medical doctors who are also lecturers in public universities. Failure to which, all medical schools and teaching hospitals shall remain closed with effect from February 15,” Dr Oroko said via his Twitter handle.

READ: University lecturers threaten new strike in row over CBA

He was reacting to last week’s comments attributed to outgoing Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu that lecturer-doctors should seek allowances from the Education ministry and not from the Health ministry.

In a statement, Dr Mailu said the Return to Work Formula signed by KMPDU and the government only covered serving doctors and not consultants in private medical practice who also lecture at medical schools in public universities.

According to the deal, the 600 specialist doctors were to receive Sh80,000 as allowances backdated to January 1, 2017. This is on top of the Sh20,000 medical risk allowance handed down to eac doctor.

Last year, the lecturers went on strike three times in the months of March, July and November paralyzing learning and interfering with academic calendar.

They were demanding the implementation of their Sh10billion CBA for 2013-2017. So far, the union and universities have held two meeting for the 2017-2021 CBA.