The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has called off a planned strike to demonstrate against recent plans by Kenya Airways to hire foreign pilots. The strike was set for Friday 20th September.
The pilots had issued a 7 day notice asking the airline to stop hiring pilots on contract for its Boeing 737 aircraft.
KALPA’s General Secretary, Captain Muriithi Nyaga, had previously written to the airline seeking to stop the recruitment of 20 contract pilots. The pilots accused the airline’s management of habitual intentional non-compliance with the signed Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA).
Kenya Airways outgoing CEO, Sebastian Mikosz, however, said that the looming strike was just another way for the pilots to negotiate. He further stated that hiring contracted pilots was a move to reduce costs and a way to maintain the airline’s market share.
Kenya Airways had earlier announced plans to recruit 20 contract pilots for its Boeing 737 fleet saying that KALPA had been standing in the way of an overdue enlistment.
Mr Sebastien insisted that the airline needs more destinations and that could not be achieved without enough pilots.
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