Court orders Kenya Airways pilots to end strike, resume work tomorrow

The Employment and Labour Relations court has directed striking Kenya Airways (KQ) pilots to call off their industrial action and resume work on Wednesday at 6am.

Lady Justice Anna Ngibuini Mwaure, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, also directed the KQ management to allow the pilots to do their duties without harassment or disciplinary action pending determination of the matter.

Justice Mwaure said the case will come up for mention on November 21, 2022, adding that both parties in the case, the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) and KQ management, should refrain from prosecuting the matter in public.

She directed the parties to present consent in written form to the court by Tuesday, 2:30 PM as she turned down KALPA’s request to be granted seven days to solve the issue.

Justice Mwaure raised concern about the losses that the airline will make if the parties are granted the 7-day mediation period.

The Employment and Labour Relations court had summoned 11 KALPA officials after refusing to call off the pilots’ strike that entered its fourth day on Tuesday.

The pilots and KQ management have been trading accusations, with KALPA accusing the airline of failing to honour their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA.)

On the other hand, KQ termed the pilots’ strike as illegal, accusing them of holding passengers and the Kenyan economy at ransom through industrial action.