The Employment and Labour Relations Court has temporarily barred workers at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) from going on strike.
Justice Maureen Onyango Monday issued the order in a case in which KNH sued Kudheiha while the Salaries and Remuneration Commission is listed as an interested party.
“Kudheiha be and is hereby restrained from withdrawing labour and effecting a general strike with respect to any category of employees at KNH pending inter partes hearing of this case,” said Justice Onyango.
According to KNH, about 3,000 to 4,800 members of staff who are medical professionals are already earning the health workers service allowance which is the subject matter of the planned strike.
UNLAWFUL
The national referral hospital claimed that a strike should only be called by aggrieved parties as per the law, hence the current downing of tools is unlawful.
The strike was to commence on June 5 over non-payment of emergency call allowances for clinical officers and non-proposal of health workers service allowance for health workers.
But the hospital says in negotiations between KNH and Kudheiha, the issue of non-payment of emergency call allowances for clinical officers was resolved.
The hospital further told the court that there have been attempts to sort out the matter.
But KNH staff went ahead to issue a strike notice on July 16, which was to start on Monday.
KNH has argued in court that the planned strike would paralyse operations at the national referral hospital.