KQ sacks 126 employees as it defies PM’s advise

By MORRIS ARON

Kenya Airways Tuesday retrenched more than 100 workers barely days after the industrial court lifted a court injunction to allow for negotiations on the way forward over the deadlock.

Letters seen by The Standard and signed by Tom Shivo, the airline’s head of human resources relationships and rewards, indicated that the workers were to cease being employees of the airline by four o’clock yesterday.

The retrenchment decision comes despite a directive from the office of the Prime Minister that the process be halted to allow for more time for negotiations, saying that all options should be exhausted first before sending workers home.

A letter to Cyrus Njiru, Transport ministry Permanent Secretary from Mohammed Isahakia, Permanent Secretary at the office of the Prime Minister directed that Kenya Airways explores all options including the introduction of pay cuts and engages with the workers union.

“In the public interest, the Prime Minister has directed that the planned retrenchment of Kenya Airways workers be suspended pending consultations within the Government and among management staff at Kenya Airways,” said the letter signed by Isahakia.

In what appears to be well thought out plan to go ahead with the retrenchment, KQ had earlier hired workers on contract basis to avert any disruptions in their flights as a result of the decision.

Inside sources told The Standard that the number of retrenched workers who received letters yesterday were close to 200 and that the exercise was set to continue in phases until Friday.

The Aviation and Allied Workers Union (AAWU), however, claimed the airline seemed to have started with staff who participated in the 2009 strike.

“All the letters that I have seen are to those who have been active in the union,” said Perpetua Mponjiwa, the chairperson of workers’ union.

The allegations could not be independently verified as by the time of going to press, Kenya Airways had not responded to queries over the matter. The workers’ body had earlier gone to court accusing Kenya Airways of going back on a deal under the collective bargain agreement that resolved the last strike.

The union insists that one party cannot decide upon redundancy of any employee — which forms the basis of the retrenchments.

The workers’ body also argue that while Kenya Airways cited the rising wage bill as one of the reasons for dismal performance, the matter can be resolved by both parties as there are alternative ways of addressing the issue, including a proposal on wage cuts.