The looming strike by Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) workers
has been suspended.
In a statement, Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) said the
strike has been suspended for two days to allow conciliation talks with the
management as directed by the court.
KAA had earlier moved to court seeking orders to stop the
strike action.
The matter was heard on Monday morning.
The court directed both parties to appear before the
Ministry of Labour for conciliation at 11 am.
KAWU said both the union officials and KAA management
attended the session, which stretched until 7:45 pm Monday before being
adjourned.
The talks are set to resume on Tuesday morning.
“The strike has been suspended for only two days to allow
conciliation to take place,” KAWU said
A conciliation report will be filed in court on Wednesday ahead
of a scheduled court session on Thursday.
KAWU expressed gratitude to its members for their patience
and solidarity, pledging to keep them updated on the progress of the talks.
The temporary suspension eases immediate fears of disruption
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and other airports, though
uncertainty remains as workers await the outcome of the conciliation process.
The dispute stems from grievances over the alleged transfer of Ground Flight Safety (GFS) operations from KAA to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), delayed confirmations of staff to permanent terms, unresolved Collective Bargaining Agreements, and other labour-related concerns.
This comes after a crisis meeting between Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) management and the Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union (KAWU) ended Thursday without agreement, raising the prospect of a disruptive strike.
KAWU Secretary Moss Ndiema told the press at the JKIA after the meeting that the delegation met KAA in an effort to resolve the grievances that led the union to issue a seven-day strike notice.
“Unfortunately, we have not been able to resolve any issue, not even one,” Ndiema said.
He said out of the seven listed demands, which the union describes as its “irreducible minimums”, only one item saw any movement.
This is in relation to a planned meeting in Naivasha to deliberate on human resource instruments.
According to Ndiema, the management offered to suspend the meeting pending further consultation.
“On that one, they offered to suspend it until we consult further about it,” he said.
The most explosive row centres on the alleged dismissal of a human resource manager, with Ndiema stating that the management insisted the decision was taken by the board.
