Kenya Airways Pilots To Start Strike On Saturday

Pilots of national carrier Kenya Airways are planning to go on strike from Saturday for better working conditions despite a court ruling suspending industrial activity, their union said on Friday

The airline, owned by the Dutch government and airline KLM, is one of the largest airlines on the continent, connecting several countries in Africa with Europe and Asia, but currently facing turbulent times.

The Kenya Airlines Pilots Association said a series of meetings with the airline’s management failed to resolve the pilots’ grievances.

No Kenya Airways flight will depart Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from 6:00 am (0300 GMT) on Saturday, said the union’s secretary general, Captain Murithi Nyaga.
He added, “Kenya Airways management’s actions have left us with no other option,” Nyaga said, adding that a 14-day notice on the action had ended without a solution.

“We had hoped that the management of the airline would soften its stance and engage in negotiation on the issues raised.”

LATEST: Emirates Airline Finally Resumes Flight Operations In Nigeria

The pilots, who have had a particularly fraught relationship with management, are pressing for the reinstatement of contributions to a provident fund.

They also want back payment of all salaries stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenya Airways on Wednesday warned the strike would jeopardise its recovery and said none of the grievances by the pilots merited a strike.

“Industrial action is unnecessary at this point, as it will delay and disrupt the financial and operational recovery and cause reputational damage to Kenya Airways,” board chairman, Michael Joseph, said in a statement.

Kenya Airways was founded in 1977 following the demise of East African Airways and flies over four million passengers to 42 destinations annually.

But its “Pride of Africa” slogan rings hollow as it operates thanks to state bailouts following years of losses.

AFP

Follow us on Facebook