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NAIROBI. – Flights by Kenya’s national airline, Kenya Airways, resumed Wednesday after a court order ended a pilots’ strike. The four-day strike led to the cancellation of scores of flights by one of Africa’s largest carriers and stranded thousands of passengers.
Following the court order, the pilots’ union, Kenya Airlines Pilots Association, withdrew the strike notice and in a statement urged its nearly 400 members to resume duty.
Employment and labour relations court Judge Ann Mwaure had on Tuesday directed the pilots to resume their duties “unconditionally.”
Senior Counsel John Ohaga is representing Kenya Airways in a contempt of court case against the pilots.
“The airline was beginning to send out notices of disciplinary action,” said Ohaga. “So what the court has said is that, pending the determination of the matter, we should not harass or intimidate them. I’m not sure how to construe that, but that’s what the court has ordered.”
The pilots’ union launched the strike at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport late last week over pension and deferred pay disputes.
The strike is estimated to have cost the airline about US$12 million in losses, but economists say that figure could be higher. – VOA
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter