Kenya Airways pilots to strike from Saturday

Kenya Airways pilots to strike from Saturday

Kenya Airways connects multiple nations within Africa to Europe and Asia, but is facing turbulent times
Kenya Airways connects multiple nations within Africa to Europe and Asia, but is facing turbulent times. Photo: Simon MAINA / AFP/File
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Pilots at troubled national flag carrier Kenya Airways plan to go on strike from Saturday to seek better working conditions despite a court order suspending the industrial action, their union said Friday.

The airline, partly owned by the government as well as Dutch carrier KLM, is one of the continent's biggest, connecting multiple nations within Africa to Europe and Asia, but it is facing turbulent times.

The Kenya Airlines Pilots Association (KALPA) said a series of meetings with the airline management had 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.

"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.

Read also

Stellantis says 276,000 autos still have deadly Takata airbags

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

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see YEN.com.gh News on your News Feed!

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 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.

On Monday, the airline won a court injunction stopping the strike but the pilots' union have nevertheless vowed to down tools.

Read also

Thousands rally in Spanish capital for pay hikes as costs soar

An official at KALPA told AFP the pilots "were acting within the provisions of the law", referring to the expiry of the strike notice.

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 is operating thanks to state bailouts following years of losses.

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ find “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.