The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) on Thursday, October 8, launched a strike at the University of Nairobi, College of Health Sciences, over the failure by the employer to pay clinical allowances to academic staff at the college.
The strike came days after University students resumed normal classes on October 5, 2020, following a directive issued by the Ministry of Education.
Constantine Wasonga UASU Secretary General said the objective of the strike was to ensure that their clinical allowances reinstated immediately.
“Academic staff condemn the unilateral withdrawal of payment of the clinical allowances by the University of Nairobi in complete disregard of employment and labour loss,” Wasonga stated.
The lecturers strongly voiced that the University would not produce graduates (medical doctors, nurse and pharmacists) this year if the management failed to meet their demands.
“This will have far-reaching effects in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and will derail the universal healthcare coverage agenda of the current government,” they stated.
The Union had on September issued a strike notice. The academic staff stated that the strike was due to the reckless move by the employer to withdraw the allowances.
UASU Secretary General stated that the lecturers were invited for a meeting by the conciliator and assured that their matter would be sorted, but a month later their demands were yet to be met.