•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•Kenya Aviation Workers Union has now rescinded the two weeks’ strike notice it had issued earlier.
Image: JACKTONE LAWI
Operations at various Kenyan airports could be paralysed from Sunday should aviation workers proceed with their planned strike after talks with the government collapsed.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (Kawu) is now accusing the state of lack of good will, which saw negotiations fail to bear any fruit. The union has now rescinded an earlier decision to suspend the strike by two weeks.
The union is threatening to withdraw its services in airports across the country over plans by the government to enter a concession deal with Indian firm Adani to run operations and expand the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Kawu secretary-general Moss Ndiema said they have called a delegates meeting on Saturday.
“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 union had on Sunday postponed their planned strike for two weeks to engage in talks.
However a meeting convened by Labour CS Alfred Mutua at the ministry's headquarters failed to break the stalemate.
Kenya Airports Authority management in a letter dated August 16, indicated that they alongside the transport ministry, Labour and KAWU had held discussions to avert the strike.
“Discussions are on-going between the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, KAA Management and Kenya Aviation Workers Union to reach an amicable agreement,” read the letter by KAA.
Kawu accused the government of engaging in a public participation exercise on the airport's expansion without granting documentation to Kenyans to make informed decisions.
KAWU chairperson Walter Ongeri said that they would not take part in the public participation unless the government makes 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 union is also demanding for the resignation of KAA board, which is currently chaired by Caleb Kosittany.
Kawu maintains that KAA has sufficient resources, which can be mobilised 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 Kenya Shilings 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.