Kenya Airways technicians strike gives management new headache

Kenya Airways technicians have opened a new battle front for the airline even as board and management put in place a strategy to revive its business.

The employees from the technical department downed their tools early Monday morning, throwing the national carriers operations into disarray.

Fresh from weathering the storm caused by its pilots calling for management changes, the technicians are now demand better pay and working conditions further disrupting revival plans.

Kenya Airways was on Monday forced to reschedule most of its flights even as it worked to restore normalcy.

The technical team has raised concern over pay discrepancy which they say was affecting staff morale as well as working long hours which they say could affect safety.

The go slow adds to the long list of labor related wrangles between management and its employees even as it implements a turnaround strategy aimed at cutting losses.

Kenya Airways Group Managing Director Mbuvi Ngunze, acting Human Resource Director Lucy Muhiu and Technical Director Martyn Haines were locked in a meeting with the team from the technical department for better part of the day seeking to resolve the impasse.

“Our technical team remains a vital part of our business and we are engaging them to solve any outstanding issues,” KQ said in a statement to newsrooms.

Sources privy to the meeting say a deal had been reached to re jig the shift structure but no conclusion had been made over pay and the operational structure.

Kenya Airways lost close to 50 employees from its technical department earlier in the year snapped up by deep pocketed Middle East carriers understaffing the department.

Despite the disruptions, KQ managed to dispatch 88 flights by 6pm.

“We wish to advise that the evening flights are expected to be on schedule with limited cancellations and few delays,” the airline said in a statement.