Relief for passengers as aviation workers call off strike after government talks
The truce ends more than two weeks of uncertainty that threatened to disrupt flights across the country.
Airline passengers can breathe a sigh of relief after Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) called off a planned strike following last-minute talks with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
The truce ends more than two weeks of uncertainty that threatened to disrupt flights across the country.
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The union had issued a seven-day strike notice on September 23, citing six grievances, including alleged poor governance and incompetence by the KAA Board. KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema had said the union had “lost faith” in the authority’s leadership and warned that unresolved issues would lead to industrial action.
The strike was initially suspended for two days on September 30 to allow for negotiations, following a court directive requiring the parties to resolve their differences before proceeding with industrial action.
In a statement on Wednesday, KAA Managing Director Mohamud Gedi announced the breakthrough, describing the resolution as a result of “constructive and collaborative deliberations” between KAA, KAWU and relevant government ministries.
“The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is pleased to announce the successful resolution of the labour matter with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) following constructive and collaborative deliberations,” Mohamud said.
KAA extended gratitude to the Board of Directors, chaired by Caleb Kositany, as well as the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection for their facilitative role in the discussions. The authority also thanked KAWU for its constructive engagement throughout the process.
Mohamud assured passengers, airlines and partners that operations at all KAA-managed airports would continue without disruption.
“Passengers, airlines and partners can be assured of our commitment to excellent customer experience across all KAA-managed airports. The Authority remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, security and service excellence,” he added.
Industrial action by aviation workers is typically handled urgently due to the critical role of airport operations. A similar strike in September 2024 saw hundreds of passengers stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) when workers protested the controversial Adani deal, causing paralysis of both domestic and international flights.
The successful negotiations bring relief to the aviation sector as the parties prepare to file a conciliation report in court ahead of a scheduled session on Thursday, October 2.
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