The Council of Governors is concerned that the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has called for a strike before exhausting all avenues for dialogue including with their employers, County Governments. For the last three months, Council of Governors has been supportive of Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) on the review of Clinical Officers Job Grading. The chronology of events is as follows:-
1. As Chairman of Council of Governors, I met with County Public Service Boards (CPSB) representatives in July and appointed a team to review clinical officers job Grading.
2. On 19th July, 2017, COG held a meeting with MOH, Clinical Officers and SRC to agree on the Grading tool used for the Grading structure. The meeting also discussed the issues on the Grading structure as per the Evaluation Report of SRC.
3. On July 20-24th, 2017, COG constituted a committee involving County Governments and the leadership of Clinical Officers, which reviewed job descriptions.
4. 25th July, 2017, COG shared the Job Description with the Counties CECs and CO for Health for their further review and input.
5. 31st July-1st August 2017, COG called a meeting of CECs, CO and Cs and CPSBs to validate the revised Job Description and agreed on the Roadmap.
6. 2nd August, 2017, the final revised Job Description was shared to all the stakeholders in the Counties CEC Health CO health Directors Health and CPSBs.
7. 3rd August, the validated revised Job Description was submitted to SRC as an appeal for re-evaluation.
8. In August, the team presented the report to me and H. E James Ongwae, Chairman of Council of Governors, Human Resource, Labour and Social Welfare Committee where the report was approved and presented to Salaries and Renemuration Committee (RSC). 3. SRC, CoG team and clinical officers met and agreed on a time frame.
9. On 4th August, SRC replied to COG, stating that they have forwarded the Job Descriptions to Price Water House Cooper (PWc), their consultant, for review.
10. On 14th August and 5th September 2017, COG wrote letters to SRC following on the status of job re-evaluation of the clinical officers to avert the industrial action that was postponed.
11. On 7th September, COG received Response from SRC that the Commission is finalizing on the report.
12. On 11th August, COG CEO and a Representative of CPSB reached out to the leadership of Clinical Officers to talk them out of a strike.
Therefore, the Council of Governors is alarmed that KUCO wants to victimise County Governments and their Citizens for a process that is still ongoing. Despite stating that they are reinstating a strike they had suspended, KUCO has no Recognition Agreements (RAs) with any County Government. As a result, Council of Governors call upon KUCO to exercise patience and allow SRC to complete the process.
H.E Josphat Nanok
Chairman, Council of Governors