NAIROBI, Kenya — Air travel in and out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) could face major disruptions next week after aviation workers issued a seven-day strike notice to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) over a widening labour dispute.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) is protesting what it calls unilateral decisions by KAA management, including the controversial transfer of Ground Flight Safety (GFS) operations to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
The union warns that the move, allegedly made without consultation, risks hundreds of jobs and could drain KAA’s revenue base.
“This matter is of grave concern to the Union, yet management has neither consulted us nor shared information,” KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema said in a letter dated September 22.
He further claimed that KCAA had already begun hiring its own GFS staff, confirming workers’ fears of redundancy.
Beyond the GFS row, the union accuses KAA of dragging its feet on confirming more than 500 long-serving staff to permanent and pensionable terms, failing to substantively appoint promoted employees, and neglecting overtime payments for Wilson Airport staff for over six months.
The dismantling of KAA’s human resources department has also left key labour matters unresolved, the union argues, while three Collective Bargaining Agreements remain stalled.
On Tuesday, workers staged a sit-in at KAA headquarters in Nairobi, but efforts to secure a meeting with management failed.
KAA board chairperson Caleb Kositany acknowledged staffing challenges, citing the expiry of the human resources manager’s contract as a key factor behind delays.
“We are in the process of advertising the position so it can be filled competitively. The former manager is also eligible to apply,” he told reporters.
Kositany, however, rejected claims that GFS staff had already been transferred to KCAA, insisting discussions were still underway.
“We have teams from both KAA and KCAA consulting on this issue in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards,” he said.
The looming strike could paralyse airport operations, from baggage handling to aircraft safety checks, given GFS’s critical role in secure parking, cargo loading, equipment maintenance, and emergency response on the ground.
KAWU has now instructed members to prepare for a full-scale work stoppage if the grievances remain unaddressed within seven days, a move that could leave thousands of passengers stranded and airlines scrambling.
