Nurses and midwives at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital have threatened to go on strike on November 9 over seven unresolved employment grievances, warning that no new patients will be admitted if the industrial action proceeds.
Nurses and midwives at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) have issued a 21-day strike notice, threatening to withdraw their services from 12.01am on November 9 unless hospital management addresses their outstanding employment grievances.
In a statement shared on October 14, the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) said the planned industrial action followed unsuccessful attempts to resolve the disputes through negotiations with the hospital’s management.
“We hereby issue a Twenty-One (21) days strike notice to the management of Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital,” the union stated.
KNUNM General Secretary Seth Panyako formally notified the hospital’s chief executive officer of the planned walkout, warning that nurses and midwives would remain on strike until their demands were addressed.
The union said essential services would continue during the industrial action, but no new admissions would be accepted once the strike begins.
“However, the union shall ensure continuity of services with no new admissions,” the statement added.
Seven grievances behind the planned strike
The union has outlined seven key areas of concern, accusing the hospital’s management of failing to resolve longstanding employment issues.
Among its main demands is the conversion of eligible nurses from temporary contracts to permanent and pensionable employment, alongside the payment of outstanding salary arrears.
The union is also seeking the settlement of unpaid gratuity, the finalisation and signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and a review of rates paid to nurses employed on temporary contracts.
Other grievances include recognition of higher academic and professional qualifications, standardisation of working hours, compensation for work performed on public holidays, and alignment of employees within common job cadres.
According to the notice, the union has made several attempts to engage hospital management and settle the disputes amicably, but the issues remain unresolved.
Panyako warns strike will continue until demands are met
Panyako maintained that the planned industrial action would continue until the hospital addressed the union’s concerns.
The union has also instructed its branch officials to mobilise nurses and midwives ahead of the proposed November 9 walkout.
The strike threat places pressure on hospital management to reach an agreement before the deadline to avoid disruption to services at one of Kenya’s major referral and teaching hospitals.
Patients face possible disruption
If the strike proceeds as announced, patients seeking admission at KUTRRH could face significant disruption, with the union indicating that existing essential services would continue under its proposed arrangements.
The planned walkout follows an earlier strike threat involving KUTRRH nurses in September, which was averted before a full industrial action took place.
With the November deadline approaching, attention will turn to whether hospital management and the union can reach an agreement to prevent another labour dispute from affecting patients.
The strike remains a threat at this stage, and its commencement will depend on whether the outstanding grievances are resolved before the notice expires.
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