Kenya Airways has sacked 140 technical staff who went on a go slow after the management unceremoniously scrapped a regrading system.
The employees went on a go slow on Tuesday morning in what the COO, Jan de Vegt referred to as an ‘illegal industrial action in contravention of the Labour Relations Act.’
Staffers had been warned against participating in any form of unlawful industrial action but did not heed to the warning.
They are said to have spent Tuesday night in the hangar in a bid to have their pay reviewed. They are in charge of aircraft maintenance, take-off and landing approvals and refueling.
The striking workers accused the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) officials of trying to forcefully eject them from their work stations.
“We are being remunerated below international standards and the technical team is the lowest paid. That pay discrepancy has continued to affect our morale and we are demanding a pay increase,” a staffer said.
Mr Vegt said that the striking workers were ‘guilty of gross misconduct and therefore liable to be summarily dismissed without further recourse.
Read: Trump Okays Sh3Billion To Help Fight Malaria In Western Kenya
CEO, Sebastian Mikosz in a leaked memo said that the government’s financial aid should not be misconstrued to mean pay hike.
“I’m absolutely certain that this financial support was given to us not to increase salary and benefits but to return to profit, grow our network, start the so necessary investments and restore the Pride of Africa,” Mr Mikosz said.
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