Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has called off their planned strike after a breakthrough in talks with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
The breakthrough announced on Wednesday night brings an end to the tension that had engulfed the air travel sector for over two weeks.
The latest development was announced in a statement by Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director Mohamud Gedi, who revealed that the emergency talks at the eleventh hour bore fruit.
"The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is pleased to announce the successful resolution of the labour matter with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) following constructive and collaborative deliberations", the statement read.
Initially, aviation workers suspended their planned strike on September 30 for two days on September 30 to allow for negotiations with KAA following a court directive requiring the two parties to sort their differences before industrial action proceeds.
A conciliation report was expected to be filed in court on Wednesday, ahead of a scheduled court session on Thursday, October 2.
A week earlier, KAWU issued a seven-day strike notice as they accused the KAA board of incompetence. The union proceeded to list six grievances, which they said needed to be resolved or the strike would proceed.
At the time, KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema decried a "loss of faith" in the KAA Board of Directors, with one of the key grievances being poor governance.
A week later, KAA, through their managing director, revealed that a breakthrough in talks was a result of collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, which was directed by the court to hear both parties on Monday.
In the statement, KAA confirmed that operations within KAA-managed airports would continue uninterrupted following the truce with KAWU.
"Passengers, airlines, and partners can be assured of our commitment to excellent customer experience across all KAA-managed airports. The Authority remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, security, and service excellence," the statement added.
Industrial action from KAWU is typically handled with urgency, particularly because of the ramifications that come with airport workers downing their tools. In September 2024, hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as workers commenced their strike in protest of the infamous Adani deal.
The strike, which began at midnight, led to operations at the airport getting paralysed, with both domestic and international flights affected.
Airport Workers Call Off Strike Breaking News
