This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
Published on September 19, 2019, Kenya Airways has narrowly escaped a strike after the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) called off the planned action.
The pilots had been set to go on strike on September 20, 2019, over the airline's decision to hire foreign pilots. However, the strike has been called off, averting a potential disruption to flights.
The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) had issued a 7-day notice to the airline, citing non-compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The pilots had accused the airline's management of habitual intentional non-compliance with the signed agreement.
Kenya Airways had announced plans to recruit 20 contract pilots for its Boeing 737 fleet, citing the need to reduce costs and maintain its market share. The airline's outgoing CEO, Sebastian Mikosz, had stated that hiring contracted pilots was a necessary move to achieve these goals.
However, the pilots had maintained that the airline's decision was a breach of the CBA, which they claimed had been signed by both parties. The dispute had been ongoing for some time, with the pilots seeking to protect their interests and the airline seeking to reduce costs.
