Operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport could be paralised starting this Sunday should Aviation workers Union forge ahead with their planned strike after dialogue with the government collapsed.
The union is accusing the state of ‘lack of good will in negotiations’ which led to saw the meeting fail to bear any fruits
According to the union secretary general Moss Ndiema, they are reinstating the strike action after the delegates meeting set for Saturday.
Kenya Aviation Workers Union have now rescinded the two weeks’ strike notice it had issued earlier.
“In the meeting they were not ceding any grounds on this Adani Holdings deal, the meeting did not come with something tangible. That’s why we will now begin the strike any day from Saturday after the delegates meeting,” said Ndiema.The Kenya Aviation Workers Union had on Sunday postponed their planned strike for two weeks to give dialogue a chance.
However, a fact-finding meeting by Labour CS Mutua at the ministry headquarters failed to resolve the grievances.
KAA management in a letter dated 16 August, disclosed that the authority, Ministry of Roads, Labor and KAWU had held discussions for an amicable agreement to avert the strike.
“Discussions are ongoing between the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, KAA Management and Kenya Aviation Workers Union to reach an amicable agreement,” read the letter by KAA.KAWU has now backtracked from these talks citing ‘lack of goodwill by the state’ to engage in dialogue.
They said that the government of engaging in public participation exercise without granting documentation to Kenyans to make informed decisions
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KAWU chairperson Walter Ongeri said that they will not take part in the public participation, if the state does not make public details of the deal with the Indian firm.
“When we suspended our strike action we wanted honest dialogue that’s not what we are getting. We will participate where necessary but where there is mischief we will not,” said Ongeri.The aviation workers’ umbrella body is threatening to withdraw its services in all KAA-run airports across the country over plans by the government to enter a concession with a private firm to run operations and expand the facility.
the union also wants resignation of KAA Board which is currently being chaired by Caleb Kosittany.
KAWU has maintained that KAA has sufficient resources which can be mobilized to ensure JKIA is expanded instead of sourcing for private firms to undertake the works.
“Between 2021 and 2023, the Government of Kenya through treasury has collected a total of Ksh 25 billion from KAA. That money is more than enough to construct a fully-fledged terminal, no one, even two terminals and a runway,” said Ndiema.