Crucial points where doctors are locking horns with government

In a statement dated May 5, crucial points of contention advancing the tiff included the delayed posting of interns, terms of service, and promotions and designations.

On delayed Internship posting, KMPDU wanted the Interns to be posted as per the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2017 with a gross rate of Kshs.206,000 in salary and allowance.

The government maintained its position on posting the interns as per the new Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) circular of March 13, 2024 which proposes a pay of Kshs.70,000.

KMPDU argued that the 2017 CBA takes precedence over the unilateral SRC circular of 13th March 2024.

On the terms of service, KMPDU wanted the counties to convert all contract employment to permanent and pensionable while the government agreed to harmonise salaries as per SRC but remained non-committal on a timeline for harmonisation and conversion of contracts.

On promotions and redesignations, KMPDU wanted the state to effect all pending promotions immediately and redesignate all consultants to job group Q as per the Schemes of Service within 90 days.

The government committed to have all public service employers to commence promotions in 30 days but no timelines on when it will be completed.

On the posting of more doctors, the government agreed to upscale the numbers but however remained non-specific on the numbers.

They disagreed on when promotions and redesignations will be completed.

Some of the issues they both agreed on included negotiating a new CBA, payment of postgraduate studies, providing an enhanced medical scheme

The stalemate lies on the backdrop of an over 50-day strike which has seen doctors and health workers vowing to remain on the streets until the government meets their demands.