KQ Strike

Kenya Airways on Friday fought off claims that the airline was experiencing problems as a result of a strike organised by the Aviation and Allied Workers Union (AAWU).

KQ Managing Director Titus Naikuni said at a press briefing that “all is well at the airline.”

He was however quick to add that they were experiencing slight disruptions to scheduled flights with the airline but insisted that this was not linked to the industrial action.

“The situation as of midnight was that there was some disruption at the airport. However some of our flights were able to take off albeit with some delay,” he said.

Mr Naikuni said some flights especially on the Kigali and Johannesburg routes had been cancelled but was optimistic the situation would normalise later in the day.

“The position with Johannesburg is that we have had to cancel one flight because of low passenger numbers, but we will combine them with those leaving with the later flight, so we don’t see any problem there,” Mr Naikuni said.

He said the disruption was caused by low cabin crew turn-out causing flights to leave later than scheduled.

The KQ boss however said they were fully in control and were seeking reinforcements from cabin crew willing to work including those who had been on leave.

At the centre of controversy for the national carrier is a stand off between it and AAWU over a salary increment. The union is demanding 130 percent pay rise, a figure KQ believes is untenable.

Mr Naikuni said the demand was too steep and could not be met if the airline was to remain in business. The airline had agreed to a 13 percent increment which was rejected by the union as of Thursday.

“You are looking at increasing our wage bill by Sh8.5 billion. Our total wage bill is about Sh5 billion for the whole airline,” he said.

“If you then take a group of employees demanding Sh8.5 billion it means the airline might as well fold up,” he added.

He added the poor performance by the airline this year did not also allow for such demands.

Kenya Airways on Tuesday obtained a court order barring any of its employees from taking part in the planned strike.

The strike notice expired at midnight on Thursday.

At least three people including Jimmy Masege the AAWU Secretary General have been arrested in connection over the outlawed strike.

Mr Naikuni maintains they will assess the situation case by case before determining what course of action to take.

“I under stand that some staff had been arrested this morning but I can’t promise that I will intervene until I know the facts because they could have been arrested for reasons that are out of my control,” he said.

Mr Naikuni refuted allegations he had influenced the arrests saying: “The law of the land is governed by the government and I am not the government.”

Sources said Mr Masege was arrested when he convened an illegal meeting at the airport to mobilise disgruntled staff members for the strike.

Mr Masege had on Thursday held a day long meeting with the KQ staff, and vowed to push on with the strike despite the court injunction outlawing the strike.

During the meeting he accused the management of Kenya Airways for failing to listen to the pleas of employees to review their salaries which they felt was biased compared to theirs. The two groups are expected to meet at the industrial court on Monday August 17.