The standoff between Kenya Airways and pilots has escalated, with the latter now planning to cancel all flights beginning Saturday, November 5.
The pilots have staged a go-slow through their representative, Kenya Airline Pilot Association (Kalpa), demanding better working conditions from KQ management.
On October 19, the Association issued a 14-day strike notice, but no agreement was reached.
Kalpa says their members will not report for duty at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi from Saturday 06:00 local time.
“We had hoped that the management of the airline would soften its hard stance and engage in a negotiation on the issues raised. However, Kenya Airways management has not made any meaningful attempt to engage and have these issues resolved,” Kalpa CEO Muriithi Nyagah said.
KQ’s decision to suspend contributions to the provident fund, which pilots claim violates a contractual agreement with all employees, prompted the strike notice.
KQ has unilaterally ceased both employee and employer contributions since 2020, according to the pilots, and has failed to restart the retirement scheme.
Negotiations with pilots failed at a meeting attended by Central Organisation of Trade Union (COTU) boss Francis Atwoli on Tuesday.
Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka has asked pilots to cancel their planned strike for next week, describing it as sabotage and a threat to the airline’s goodwill and support from customers, the government, and Kenyan taxpayers.
In a heartfelt letter to colleagues, Allan stated that the notice was untimely and unwise because the company was about to turn a corner.
“Is this the time to go on strike when the Airline is still relying on taxpayers’ support and goodwill? When we are on a recovery path? When all employees have made the necessary sacrifices and chosen to wait just a little bit longer to reap the full benefits of the sacrifices? When the Government of Kenya has made it clear that it cannot indefinitely continue to fund KQ during this challenging period? When we are beginning to gain the confidence of our passengers? Kilavuka posed.
