The chairman of the Council of Governors Josephat Nanok has said that negotiations between governors and nurses have been carried out and that all parties have been in constant discussions to finalize the nurses’ CBA as agreed last year in a return to work formula. The Turkana Governor was addressing the press during a Governors’ press briefing in Nairobi after nurses in various Counties downed their tools. “Both levels of government remain committed to ensuring improved working conditions for all health workers,” said Nanok.
According to the statement from the Chairman, the negotiation parties have a concluded draft CBA, which proposes Kshs 40,366,442,400 over and above what was approved in the return to work formula which is Kshs 3,474,144,000 for every financial year. “The concluded draft CBA was forwarded to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission for guidance and for SRC to issue a ‘no objection’ letter in relation to the content of the draft CBA,” he said “Once SRC makes a pronouncement on the matter, County governments will go ahead and sign the CBA with the Nurses Union.”
He added that the amount will require huge adjustment of budgets for both national and County governments to cater for it. However, the County governments are still in talks with the Nurses Union to come up with an amicable solution.
The COG Chairman has appealed to the striking nurses to resume their duties, as the discussions with the Nurses Union and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to ensure an amicable conclusion and registration of the CBA are being finalized.