Kenya Airways Obtains a Court Order Stopping Looming Pilots’ Strike

The Labor court on Monday issued an injunction stopping the looming strike by Kenya Airways (KQ) pilots pending the hearing and determination of an application filed by the national carrier.

Kenya Airways pilots, through the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa), issued a 14-day strike notice on October 19th following protracted disputes with the airline’s management. They are accusing the management of the airline of continued breach of the Kenya Civil Aviation Regulations and certain clauses in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The pilots, who have also demanded that the airline’s board steps down, said KQ unilaterally stopped both the employees’ and the employers’ contribution to the provident fund since 2020.

In a lengthy memo, KQ Chairperson Michael Joseph rejected calls to step down, stating that the board and management would not bow to the demands of the protesting pilots and neither would their industrial action yield the funds they are demanding. He insisted that the airline will start making the contributions to the Provident Fund next year.

“We also understand that you all have concerns about how long it would take to pay back the deferred salaries and contributions to the Provident Fund. We continue to pay back the deferred salaries and expect to start paying back the contributions to the Provident Fund in 2023,” Joseph said.

In addition, Joseph accused the pilots’ umbrella body of issuing “derogatory” statements targeted at him and KQ Managing Director Allan Kilavuka.

“No amount of threats or coercion will compel us to ask for any resignations from anyone, and certainly, I have no intention of stepping down unless the KQ Board, following due process, requests my resignation,” he stated.