Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) workers have temporarily called off their planned strike for two days to give room for conciliation talks with management, following a directive from the court.
In a statement on Monday night, the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) announced the decision, saying the suspension will allow both parties to engage in discussions under the Ministry of Labour’s mediation.
The court issued the directive on Monday morning after KAA moved to court seeking orders to stop the strike. Both the union and the management appeared before the Ministry at 11 am for the session, which continued until 7:45 pm before it was adjourned. The talks are expected to resume on Tuesday morning.
“The strike has been suspended for only two days to allow conciliation to take place,” KAWU said.
A report from the conciliation meeting will be submitted to the court on Wednesday ahead of a scheduled session on Thursday. KAWU also thanked its members for their patience and solidarity and assured them they would be informed of any developments.
The temporary suspension has eased fears of immediate disruptions at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and other airports, but the outcome of the conciliation process remains uncertain.
The dispute involves several grievances, including the alleged transfer of Ground Flight Safety operations from KAA to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, delays in confirming staff to permanent terms, unresolved Collective Bargaining Agreements, and other labour issues.
Last Thursday, a crisis meeting between the union and KAA ended without agreement, heightening the possibility of a strike. KAWU Secretary Moss Ndiema addressed the press at JKIA after the meeting, saying the union had issued a seven-day strike notice after failed efforts to address their concerns.
“Unfortunately, we have not been able to resolve any issue, not even one,” Ndiema said.
He explained that the union had listed seven demands described as its “irreducible minimums”, but only one issue had seen any progress. This was about a planned meeting in Naivasha to discuss human resource instruments.
“On that one, they offered to suspend it until we consult further about it,” he said.
The most contentious issue involves the alleged dismissal of a human resource manager. Ndiema said the management maintained that the decision was made by the board.