Kenya Airways obtains order barring pilots’ strike

Kenya Airways CEO Mbuvi Ngunze. (Photo: Boniface Okendo)

Kenya Airways has obtained a court order barring its pilots from carrying out an industrial action that was set for tomorrow.

KQ moved to court after the pilots, under Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA), issued a 48-hour notice to the management over poor performance. The pilots are also calling for the resignation of the airline’s top management, including CEO Mbuvi Ngunze and the Board of Directors.

“An interim order is hereby granted restraining the respondents (KALPA), its members, agents, servants and or sympathisers from calling, participating or engaging in any form of industrial action including strikes on account of an alleged mismanagement of the claimant (KQ) or otherwise and/or on account of the ongoing restructuring process pending the hearing of the application interpartes.”

The application will heard on May 9.

The ultimatum by the pilots, the second to be issued in 2016, was expected to take effect Thursday where the Kenya Airlines Pilots Association (KALPA) planned to withdraw all of its members to ground the airline's operations.

KQ termed the threat illegal and in bad faith, considering that negotiations with the pilots’ body were ongoing.

Wednesday, Central Organisation of Trade Unions COTU backed the move by the pilots, calling for the resignation of the management to pave way for a complete overhaul of the airline.

COTU Chairman Francis Atwoli faulted the sacking of 600 staff, saying that the pilots had become easy targets in the airline’s cost cutting measures.