Kenyan Airways sacks 22 Nigerian staff prompting threat of industrial unrest in Aviation

AVIATION unions are planning to embark on industrial action after Kenya Airways sacked 22 of its Nigerian staff in a development which the Nigerian Union of Air Transport Employees (Nuate) says is a breach of labour laws.

Last Friday, Kenya Airways sacked 22 out of its 26 Nigerian employees, representing 86.4% of the entire workforce in the country, retaining only the country manager, the station manager and two others. Sources at the airline alleged that the workers were issued their disengagement letters in the presence of police officers, who were engaged to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.

According to Olayinka Abioye, the Nuate general secretary, the airline’s action was a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws and so the union would react accordingly. He added that the union had yet to conclude negotiations with the airline before the workers were made redundant.

Mr Abioye said: “What they have done is null and void and is of no effect. They must call the workers back and conclude the negotiations in accordance with the laws.

"Nigerians are law-abiding people and it is now obvious that Kenya Airways came to test the waters and we will not accept that. Industrial crisis is imminent with what Kenya Airways has done.”

However, the airline accused Nuate of failing in its duty to protect the interest of its members. In a letter dated April 11 and addressed to Mr Abioye, the carrier said the union had picked different dates of February 15 and 26, March 6 to 16 and April 5, for a meeting with its management but failed to honour any of the appointments.

Kenya Airways spokeswoman Bridgette Imbuga, said: “Despite our displeasure, we dutifully indulged you and agreed to hold the meeting on the 16th of March, 2018. Although, you kept us waiting at your national secretariat’s conference room for the better part of the afternoon, you finally turned up for the meeting at 4.30pm local time on the 16th of March, 2018.

“However, you declined to discuss the redundancy subject and instead proposed that we pick another date to specifically negotiate the redundancy payments. After considering each party’s commitments, you personally proposed the 5th of April, 2018, which we mutually accepted and firmed up, so it was therefore shockingly disappointing and unexpected that you failed to attend the meeting on the agreed date without any apologies or prior notification, notwithstanding the fact that the management team had travelled to Lagos and were more punctually present for the meeting at the appointed venue."

She added that from the foregoing, it is clear that the union is unwilling or uninterested in engaging the management in negotiations on such an important matter affecting employees who are its members. According to Kenya Airways, on its part, it has demonstrated a willingness and commitment to use its best endeavours to negotiate separation terms for the employees who will be affected by the redundancy.