KALPA says none of its pilots will fly KQ plane from JKIA starting 6am tomorrow

Captain Murithi Nyagah, the Secretary-General of KALPA, addressing journalists on November 1, 2022 on strike notice issued by the union. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has asked its members countrywide to withdraw their services.

KALPA says no Kenya Airways (KQ) plane flown by its pilots will depart the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) starting tomorrow (Saturday, November 5) at 6am.

KALPA says this is in fulfillment of its industrial strike notice that it gave to the KQ management on October 19, 2022 over unmet grievances.

"On October 19, 2022, the association issued a 14-day industrial action notice to the management of Kenya Airways, as the last resort in our attempts to seek better working conditions for our members and ensure that Kenya Airways is managed professionally," KALPA Secretary-General Captain Murithi Nyagah said in a statement dated November 4, 2022.

"The Kenya Airways management has not made any meaningful attempt to engage, and have these matters addressed," added Captain Nyagah.

The union is demanding the airline restarts contributions to its staff pension fund that was stopped during the pandemic, and the payment of all salaries that were accrued at the time.

In a separate statement, the Kenya Airways put estimated losses if the strike goes ahead at Sh300 million daily.

KALPA is proceeding on industrial strike despite being ordered by the courts to rescind the plans.

The KQ Board said in a statement recently that none of the grievances advanced by KALPA merits an industrial strike, adding that all pay deals with unions must reflect the company's effort to return to profit.