Health workers in Meru County have lauded Governor Isaac Mutuma for what they say is addressing staff welfare and resolving longstanding labour issues that have in the past led to industrial action.
The workers unions include the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union, Kenya Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists (KUPT), Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPU), Kenya National Union of Laboratory Officers, and Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dietitians.
KNUN Meru branch chairman Mugambi Bakari called on the county government to fasttrack all pending issues including promotions and employment of more staff as budgeted in the current financial year.
“We have not had any strike since Meru governor Mutuma M’Ethingia took office simply because we have had cordial working relationships. We have had four meetings with the governor where our concerns have been noted and addressed. Under this administration, we are receiving salaries before the end of the month. All statutory deductions have also been paid up,” Mugambi said.
Mugambi said there were many things that could not be solved earlier because former governors were not keen on listening to workers’ unions.
“Although not everything has been done, many things have been done in this government. Our workers are likely to benefit because the governor and all his departments are engaging us. We have had about four meetings with the governor himself and about seven with various departments,” Mugambi said.
KUCO Chairman Henry Mwenda said delayed promotions and nonpayment of statutory deductions were the biggest moral killers for health workers.
Mr Fredrick Kobia, the chairperson of Laboratory officers’ union, said the current administration had paid up all pending statutory deductions owed to health workers.
According to Meru Health Workers Union Caucus chairperson Nesbit Mugendi, they were expecting the County Public Service Board to effect all promotions by the end of the financial year.
“We are also receiving our promotion letters and by the end of this year most will have been promoted especially common cadre,” Mugendi said.
He said that Governor Mutuma promised to increase the Sh21 million he had set a side for promotion and Sh.100 million for employment in the next financial year.
