No deal yet as government, doctors maintain hard-line - mediating team

juma chrispinus

February 25, 2017 1:14 PM

The government trashed the 2013 CBA terming it illegal, meaning doctors may have to start crafting another one.

Despite a seven day extension Thursday by the court giving the mediators more time to end the doctors’ strike, there is still no headway yet as the hard-line is still maintained by both the doctors and the government.

In a joint statement issued Saturday, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have said that the talks were ‘still at deadlock’.

“In view of the above, the Mediation Panel has adjourned the mediation process until next week and has informed the respective parties that if there is no change in the respective positions by close of business on Tuesday 28th February, 2017, the Mediators will make an appropriate report to the Court of Appeal,” reads part of the statement seen by P Live Kenya.

The duo have also cited that the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) officials have expressed their frustration regarding the offer tabled by the government despite the doctors union having revised their demands downwards on two occasions in the last week.

Meanwhile, The National Treasury earlier this week cautioned that should the government implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA); the implications on the wage bill will be gravy.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich broke his silence and told striking doctors to instead consider the earlier presidential offer of a 40 per cent salary increase. He said the presidential 40 per cent suggestion is implementable.

Recapitulating on the illegality of the 2013 CBA signed by Mark Bor, the former Health and Sanitation PS, Rotich has warned that anything contrary will have grave implications on the economy.

He, however, proposed a new agreement be made, to allow its implementation in phases for four years. If doctors’ accepted the presidential offer, the lowly paid doctor’s salary would jump to Sh295,000 monthly, translating to Sh3.54 million annually.

Doctors have been on strike since December 5, 2016, and are pushing for better pay and improved working conditions among others, as contained in the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

juma chrispinus