The Kenya Aviation Workers Union has postponed their planned strike to give dialogue a chance.
In a statement issued on Saturday, KAWU postponed the planned strike for 14 days, pending the outcome of the discussions initiated by Labour CS Alfred Mutua and Transport CS Davis Chirchir.
"The Union has decided to give dialogue a chance which we hope will be carried out in an honest, transparent and candid manner," the union said.
KAWU, however, warned of the possibility of reinstating the strike action at the expiry of 14 days without the necessity of issuing another notice.
This is in the event that the discussions do not bear the outcome desirable by its members or if they sense a lack of goodwill from Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Airports, or the government in the ensuing discussions.
KAWU issued a formal seven days' strike notice on August 12, to both KAA and KQ.
The intended strike was on account of, and in protest against, the alleged planned sale of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Adani Airport Holdings Limited of India.
KAWU said the alleged that the deal was being carried out in a secretive and unlawful manner and would also ultimately result in massive job losses for employees.
"Job losses and the resultant degrading and dereliction of remuneration and other terms and conditions of service of the few employees who will survive the Adani purge touches the core of our members' collective interests which we must protect at all costs," KAWU said.
The workers also issued the strike notice to protest against alleged acts of impropriety and gross misconduct regarding provision of security services at the airport.
The union was on Thursday invited for a fact-finding meeting by Labour CS Mutua at the ministry headquarters.
Mutua assured that he would facilitate further discussions with the relevant line ministry with a view of addressing their concerns.
Consequently, CS Chirchir has invited the union to a consultative meeting at the ministry headquarters on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, to explore mutually acceptable solutions to the two disputes.
