Kenya Aviation Workers Union Issues 7-Day Strike Notice After Salary Talks Collapse

The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has issued a seven-day strike notice after talks with the government and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) over salary increments and unionisation of new members collapsed. The union accused KCAA of unfair labour practices, citing failure to review salaries for long-serving employees despite repeated appeals spanning more than a decade. Speaking to the press on Tuesday, KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema said aviation workers had exhausted all avenues for dialogue, including court-ordered mediation, which has since broken down. Ndiema revealed that some employees have gone for over 11 years without a pay review, describing the situation as discriminatory and demoralising to workers who keep the aviation sector running. He warned that failure by the government and KCAA to address the grievances within seven days would result in drastic action that could paralyse air transport across the country. “We will close the airspace, ground everything and shut down all Kenyan airports. This is a warning,” Ndiema said, stressing that the union would not hesitate to act once the ultimatum expires. According to the union, the unresolved issues include stalled salary reviews, delayed promotions, and refusal to fully unionise eligible staff members within the authority. KAWU maintained that unless urgent intervention is made, the planned industrial action would lead to a total shutdown of Kenya’s airspace, severely disrupting domestic and international flights. Additionally, a strike by aviation workers would disrupt flights at all Kenyan airports, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, dealing a major blow to tourism, trade and regional air traffic. JKIA is Kenya’s busiest airport, handling about 8.6 million passengers annually, according to recent aviation traffic data, making it a critical hub for both domestic and international travel in the region. The last time the aviation workers went on strike was in September 2025, when services were paralysed at the JKIA and other airports, with passengers forced to delay or halt their flights for about two days before the government intervened. A week later, the Kenya Airports Authority, through its managing director, revealed that a breakthrough in talks was reached following an extensive collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Ministry of Labour. Meanwhile, the government, through KCAA and KAA, is yet to respond to the looming crisis, which is set to disrupt key operations in the aviation sector.