Labour court declares doctors’ strike illegal
The Employment and Labour Relations court has declared the ongoing doctors’ strike illegal.
However, doctors insist the national job boycott that has paralysed health services across the country is still on.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) on Tuesday said its members would carry on with the strike even as its officials appeared in court.
The court had summoned them for allegedly acting in contempt of court order issues of December 2, stopping the strike that kicked off on December 5.
Immediately after the Milimani Court session, KMPDU Secretary-General Dr Ouma Oluga said the strike would proceed.
The decision of Council of Governors to move to court just before the strike, he said, was premature and that talks were ongoing.
IMPLEMENTATION OF CBA
“We want to tell Kenyans that the strike action is well considered, all doctors are asking for is the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We are on strike,” he said.
His sentiments came moments after Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Hellen Wasilwa ruled that the strike is illegal.
The judge threatened not to hear the doctors’ case before her until the industrial action is called off.
She directed parties in the case to appear in court next Monday, December 19, for further directions.
The health workers strike kicked off on December 5 yet the council of governors obtained court orders stopping it on December 2.
KMPDU officials, however, claimed they were never served with the order, forcing the judge to order the union leaders to appear before her today to explain why they should not be punished for breaching court orders.
She had also asked the Kilimani OCS to help the court serve the order.`
