Kenya Airways (KQ) pilots affiliated to the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) have vowed to withdraw labour from the national carrier on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
This comes at a time the pilots are engaged in a fierce battle with top management, demanding the resignation of chairman Michael Joseph and CEO Allan Kivaluka.
KALPA secretary general Murithi Nyagah said there will be no Kenya Airways aircraft departing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport flown by a KALPA member from Saturday.
“This was the last resort in our attempts to seek better working conditions for our members and ensure that Kenya Airways is managed professionally. The strike notice has since expired and we are therefore at liberty to exercise our right to withdraw our labour forthwith, as enshrined in Article 41, Chapter 4 of the Constitution,” the statement read.
“Kenya Airways management has not made any meaningful attempt to engage and have these matters resolved,” he said.
Read: Tug Of War At KQ As Kivaluka, Michael Joseph Refuse To Step Down
Joseph and Kivaluka have however held on, vowing not to resign since the pilots have not given a “clear justification for their resignation.
On Monda, the High Court stopped KALPA from going on strike, who are demanding that the two resign due to mismanagement.
“They have called for Allan [the CEO] and myself to resign and the board to step down but there is no clear justification for this other than a general statement about mismanagement and poor decisions without any details,” said Mr Joseph in a letter to staff Monday.
“The board and I believe our shareholders have absolute confidence in Allan and his management team. No amount of threats or coercions will compel us to ask for any resignation from anyone, and certainly, I have no intentions of stepping down unless the KQ board, following due process, requests my resignation,” said Joseph.
Read: The Government To Take Up Ksh63.7 Billion Loan From KQ
KALPA had planned to go on strike over several issues including mismanagement, failure by the management to implement pay agreements (CBA), alleged victimisation of its members and non-payment of monthly pension contributions for staff.
KQ needs at least Ksh1.3 billion for pension expenses every year, with approximately Ksh700 million being scheduled for pilots.
“As you know, we continue to pay back the deferred salaries and expect to start paying back the contributions to the provident fund in 2023. Unfortunately, we cannot do both at the same time as we are still paying back our outstanding arrears from the Covid period and keeping up lease payments on our aircraft,” said Mr Joseph.
KQ has recorded a Ksh9.88 billion loss for the first half of the year, which was less than the loss of Ksh11.48 billion it posted for the same period in 2021.
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