Playing hardball? Kenya Airways advertises striking pilots' jobs
A photo taken on November 5, 2022 shows Kenya Airways planes at the parking bay, amid a strike by pilots organised by Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa), at the Jomo Kenyatta International airport in Nairobi.
National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) says it will no longer engage striking pilots and has released an advert seeking job applications to replace them as a crippling strike enters the third day. This comes on the same day the pilots urged management to "meet us at the table and negotiate with an open mind".
CEO Allan Kilavuka, while addressing the media on Monday afternoon, said KQ will no longer engage striking pilots unless they get back to work, adding that the airline has filed contempt charges against them.
Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka addresses the media at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on November 7, 2022, amid a crippling strike by the airline's pilots.
He also accused the pilots of sabotage following cancellation of up to 47 flights by Monday.
"There's no negotiation. I want them to go back to work. They (pilots) have cost us a lot of money. They are sabotaging this country and they have been belligerent. They are trying to hold us hostage. Let them go back to work before we have any other discussion," Mr Kilavuka said.
Separately, while speaking to the Nation Monday morning, KQ's Chief People Officer Tom Shivo had revealed that the airline opened up application for captains and first officers positions, further escalating the dispute between the carrier and its pilots as both sides adopt hardline stances.
"I can confirm that we are looking for suitable applicants to fill the positions of Captains and First Officers at Kenya Airways," said Mr Shivo without sharing more details.
Kenya Airways has gone ahead to share an advert on the same on its LinkedIn page on Monday morning.
Pilots: 'Stop ego and chest-thumping'
Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) secretary-general Murithi Nyagah (centre) speaks during a media briefing on November 5, 2022.
Meanwhile, the pilots held their own press conference this morning where they urged management to stop "chest thumping" while urging the airline to negotiate with them.
"We continue to urge Kenya Airways' management to meet us at the table and negotiate with an open mind. Their ego and chest-thumping is to the detriment of Kenyans at large. The persistent harassment and intimidation of pilots agitating for their rights serves more to agonise than inspire confidence that management is concerned about their welfare," Kalpa said.
"KQ management's approach will not achieve our common goal of getting Kenya Airways back to full operations. It is very important to note that what our members are holding out for is all within the confines of a mutually agreed collective bargaining agreement. We have not asked for improved terms of service, we only demand that Kenya Airways' management honours agreements already in place," they added.
The union also alleged that the airline has made no attempt to negotiate with them.
""Contrary to reports circulating that we have refused to negotiate, we would like to clarify that Kalpa is the only party in this matter that has been making all attempts to bridge the gap between KQ management and ourselves. We have sent our proposals both to KQ and the concerned Ministries on Friday, Saturday and yesterday. This afternoon we sent out another proposal, with even further concessions. On the other hand, KQ has made no concessions from the proposals they presented over 2 weeks ago."
Kenya Airways pilots gather at the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) offices on November 5, 2022.
Crippling strike
The latest development comes amid a crippling strike by pilots since Saturday morning. The move has left more than 10,000 passengers were left stranded and disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
International Passengers at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa as Kenya Airways pilots strike kicked off in the country in this photo taken on November 5, 2022.
It also comes hours after the airline's management said it will take disciplinary action against striking pilots, saying the move was illegal while accusing them of absconding duty.
“The action by pilots has occasioned immeasurable inconvenience to guests, a huge financial cost to the company and, by extension, the larger national economy, therefore, this is being treated as defiance of instruction issued by the CEO,” a memo by Chief People Officer Tom Shivo said.
The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) issued a strike notice last week citing protracted disputes between the union and the management of KQ. The pilots also said that KQ has unilaterally stopped both the employees’ and the employers’ contribution in 2020 and never resumed since.
The pilots also accused KQ's management of continued breach of the Kenya Civil Aviation Regulations and certain clauses in their CBA.
