Kenya Airways Threatens to Sack Pilots after Talks to Avert Looming Strike Stalled

• The airline’s chief executive officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka said talks attended by Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary-general Francis Atwoli bore no fruits
• KQ wants to reduce the number of pilots from 400 to 207 over a three-year period, but the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has opposed the proposal
• KALPA secretary-general Murithi Nyagah said the whole board and management at KQ should be reshuffled

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has threatened to sack pilots who will go on strike after talks on the implementation of the collective bargaining agreement collapsed.

The airline’s chief executive officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka said talks attended by Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary-general Francis Atwoli bore no fruits.

KQ wants to reduce the number of pilots from 400 to 207 over a three-year period, but the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has opposed the proposal.

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“In fact, the pilots said that they had come to demand not to negotiate… They said clearly that the strike would happen if we did not meet their demands. There comes a time of reckoning, and I think this is that time. At one point, yes, we want to listen, but at the same time, there’s a bigger mission to keep the airline alive,” Kilavuka said at a press briefing.

KALPA strike notice

On Wednesday, October 19, the aggrieved pilots issued a 14-day strike notice.

The pilots accused the airline over several issues, including the withdrawal of the provident fund.

The association’s secretary-general Murithi Nyagah said the whole board and management at KQ should be reshuffled.

“We reached out to the KQ leadership on several occasions to address these matters…but they seems to be reluctant to react,” the association said in a statement.

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William Ruto wants KQ split

President William Ruto recently outlined his plans to return loss-making national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) to profitability.

Transport, Roads and Public Works Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that Ruto was working with the KQ management and other stakeholders to restructure the debt-ridden airline.

While appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments on Wednesday, October 19, the senator said the airline would be reformed, splitting it into cargo, passenger, charter services and drone subsidiaries.

KQ has been making losses over the last decade despite efforts by the state to revive it.

In the year ended December 2021, it recorded a KSh 15.8 billion loss, down from KSh 36.22 billion it registered in 2020.

Source: TUKO.co.ke