KMPDU threatens strike if May 2024 CBA isn’t met by July 6
By Elizabeth NgigiThe Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has called on the government to honour the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in early May 2024 or else they will go back to the streets.
The agreement concerns the immediate deployment of medical interns.
However, the government suggested delaying their absorption pending a court decision due to ongoing legal proceedings.
In a statement, KMPDU leader Davji Atellah emphasized their commitment to resolving the interns’ concerns through discussions within 60 days, from May 8 to July 6.
“Notwithstanding the two positions, we had a convergence where we agreed that the matter of posting medical interns to be discussed and resolved within sixty days from May 8, 2024, and no intern was to be coerced to pick the illegal letters. The 60 days lapses on July 6, 2024, at 5.37pm.”
The agreement we have was deposited in court, hence a court order. Based on the above agreement, the intern posting must be done in July, and the posting letters ought to be ready by July 6, 2024 without violation of our CBA. The idea that we are to wait for court determination with judgement coming up on September 26, 2024 is for the posterity and legality of CBA and does not dictate the posting of the current cohort,” he said.
Atellah has since warned of a potential strike if the government fails to honor the 60-day agreement.
He indicated that they will issue a notice of industrial action on July 8, following the expiration of the period.
“We will give notice for industrial action from July 8, 2024, if the government does not honour the 60 days,” added Atellah.
In May, the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) signed a return-to-work agreement.
The Ministry of Health announced that this move effectively ended the nationwide doctors’ strike after 56 days.