KQ denies favouring foreigners in staff sackings

NAIROBI, KENYA: Kenya Airways has said it is not favouring foreign employees in its staff rationalisation programme even as it moved to defend its turnaround plan that continues to be faulted by pilots.

Pilots, through their union, the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) have accused the airline of retaining foreigners in the process.

Already the airline has sent home about 80 employees in the exercise that was targeting to reduce its staff numbers by 600.

"The rightsizing is still ongoing and is being done in a very responsible manner in full compliance with labor laws, Collective Bargaining Agreements and consultation with unions," the airline's board chairman Dennis Awori said in a statement sent to newsrooms on Thursday.

"It is incorrect to assert without basis the retention of foreigners. Kenya Airways is an international company with employees across their networks who are nationals of those countries," Awori said.

Awori said the staff rationalization exercise is being undertaken to right size Kenya Airways and is focused on both Kenya and the network.

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