Editor's Review

"The Union needs to direct its members to get back to work, to pave way for meaningful negotiations to take place to find a lasting resolution."

Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore has called on the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) to consider a dialogue with the Ministry of Health and end the ongoing strike.

In a press statement on Friday, April 12, Bore said the doctors should respect a court order that directed a conciliation committee between the government and the doctors’ unions.

“The Employment and Labour Relations Court has given interim orders and parties must obey the orders. The Head of Public Service has taken action in complying with the orders and so must everyone else. The Court also directed the Conciliation Committee to continue with its work to assist parties in finding minimum safety service during industrial action.

“Parties should co-operate and act in good faith to finding a settlement to these issues. The resolution of this dispute and a lasting solution can only be found through Social Dialogue and the sooner parties realize this the better,” read the statement in part.

The Labour CS urged MKPDU to suspend the ongoing strike before holding negotiations with the government.

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File image of Labour CS Florence Bore.

CS Bore noted that parties involved must sit and dialogue in good faith for the stalemate to be resolved amicably.

“Labour Relations Act, 2007 provides that where parties have a difference, they may subject this through a dispute resolution mechanism. The doctors' union must therefore suspend the strike and come to the table to negotiate with the employers, that is, the Ministry of Health and the 47 County Governments. The Union needs to direct its members to get back to work, to pave way for meaningful negotiations to take place to find a lasting resolution,” Bore added.

The doctors’ strike entered its fourth week on Monday with KMPDU demanding the government to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) conceived in 2017 and medical interns to be posted to hospitals.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Thursday advised the government to reinstate the Sh 206,000 salary for medical interns until the next round of CBA negotiations and the Ministry of Health to pay school fees owed to doctors who are enrolled in further studies in order to end the stalemate.