The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) is fuming over a recent decision by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to slash stipends for intern nurses by a staggering Ksh69,000.
Reduced Intern Stipends:
- Intern nurses were initially promised a stipend of Ksh104,000.
- The SRC reduced this amount to Ksh35,000, a move KNUN considers a blatant disregard for court orders upholding the higher stipend.
Union Threatens Strike Action:
- The union views the stipend cut as a major disrespect to nurses and a key factor pushing them towards strike action.
Broken Promises on Permanent Hiring:
- The Ministry of Health initially promised to transition nurses under the Universal Health Care program to permanent and pensionable terms.
- Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha backtracked on this promise, citing advice from the Public Service Commission.
**KNUN Blames Contractual Terms for Demotivation and Understaffing
