•The CEO expressed commitment to ensuring the resumption of Provident fund contributions, cited as one of the causes of the planned strike, for all staff.
• Kilavuka said the strike notice, coming when the business is just about to turn the corner, is misadvised and ill-timed.
Image: FILE
Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Allan Kilavuka has asked the staff for patience following their planned strike.
In a statement on Friday, the CEO expressed commitment to ensuring the resumption of Provident fund contributions, cited as one of the causes of the planned strike, for all staff.
A Provident fund is an investment fund contributed to by employees, employers, and (sometimes) the state, out of which a lump sum is provided to each employee on retirement.
The CEO said they currently don't have sufficient cash to foot the provident fund expense.
"As we have communicated in the past, contributions into the Provident Fund were suspended due to the Sponsors’ dire financial status as sanctioned by the Trustees in line with the Trust Deed Rules and the RBA," the CEO said in a statement.
"We prioritised payment of the deferred portion of pay following numerous staff requests. In this regard, we are paying the 2021 portion until November 2022."
He added:
"The HR shall advise on how the business shall pay the 2020 deferred portion, which may commence in December 2022, subject to affordability and cash availability which is dependent on a network devoid of disruptions."
The CEO said after payment of the deferred portion, and going by projections in the first half of 2023, they shall resume Provident Fund contributions in quarter 3 of next year.
"However, if staff feel otherwise, we could suspend the payment of deferred pay and resume the provident fund."
Kilavuka said the management has held numerous consultations with Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) (and indeed other unions), and no dispute has been registered.
As such, the CEO said the looming strike breaches the law.
"The union has not exhausted all dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed to them by labour laws nor recorded any matter as a disagreement," he said.
Kilavuka said the strike notice, coming when the business is just about to turn the corner, is misadvised and ill-timed.
"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?" he asked.
Kenya Airline Pilots Association had issued a 14-day strike notice.
In a letter sent to the Kilavuka on Wednesday, the pilots alleged harassment and leadership issues.
"In this regard and pursuant to Section 76 of the Labour Relations Act 2007, we hereby notify you of our members' intention to strike in 14 days from the date of this letter," the letter read.
The KQ had however threatened to send home pilots who planned to participate in the strike.