UNION OPPOSES CHEQUE PAYMENTS AS NURSES THREATEN TO STRIKE

Jan 29, 2015 Ivy Keziah Kisumu, National, News, Regional 0

The Kenya Union of Nurses has this afternoon urged the Kisumu County Government to immediately pay its workers and opposes the idea of paying its workers through cheques.

This is following a letter sent overnight to the union workers by the county human resource officer Beatrice Omolo dated 27th January 2015 indicating the county’s intention to start paying workers through cheques.

According to the union the new directive is against the employment act part 4 sections 17 which clearly state that employees have to designate methods of payments and pay points or bank accounts they wish to be paid. As their pays lips reads their individual bank account and not places scheduled by the county government.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kisumu News , the Kenya union of nurses Dep. General Secretary Maurice Opetu said the union was not aware of the county’s intention to pays its workers using cheques nor was it consulted or aware of any ghost workers within the county.

Although the exercise is set to start tomorrow, 30th January 2015, the union has directed its members not to accept any cheques from the county government.

Opetu further noted that the new directive by the county government inflicts added cost on the small salaries their workers receive when clearing the cheques to their money.

The union feels that the move is against the spirit of service delivery as it’s setting the community against the workers as it provides no clear security measures to the workers receiving the cheques in public, Opetu added.

He faulted the use of cheques as its members could be lured into a trap where they can be issued with bouncing cheques

He also asked how the statutory deductions are going to be remitted to the bodies charged by them and asked if it’s a way that the Kisumu County Government wants to evade tax

At the same time Kisumu county health workers have threaten to go on strike if the new payment of salaries by cheques introduced.

Kenya Union of Nurses (KNUN) have directed health workers to report to work without uniform on Monday next week.

The KNUN officials argue that health workers are not given uniform allowance in pay slips.

Speaking in Jaramogi Oginga Referral and Teaching Hospital during a health workers meeting Kenya Union of nurses Kisumu secretary general Maurice Opetu said the new payment system contradicts with the designated pay points of the health workers as contained in official statements.

The requirements for accessing the said cheques are punitive and are unacceptable, said Mr Opetu.

Mr Opetu said Kisumu health workers were not consulted either directly or indirectly through their unions, associations and other welfare bodies.

The decision to pay the workers by cheques to be distributed in the places is in contradiction to the Employment Act No.11 of 2007 part 4 section 17, said Mr Opetu.

The cost of process and clearing the cheques is double at the expense of the workers meager salaries, he added.

He said that the advance loans which are serviced directly from the net salaries will not be paid since some members may be tempted to cash off the cheques elsewhere.

Some health workers are away in other counties like Mombasa on duty, treatment or training will not be able to travel back for payment of salaries through the cheques.