Kenya’s aviation sector is staring down the barrel of a crippling shutdown after the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) issued a firm seven-day strike notice to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). The ultimatum, delivered on Monday afternoon, threatens to ground flights and paralyze operations across the country’s airspace beginning February 16 if the regulator fails to address a litany of long-standing labour grievances.

At the heart of this industrial standoff is a decade of stagnation and broken promises that have left air traffic controllers and support staff demoralized. KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema has accused the KCAA management of engaging in a calculated pattern of frustration and bad faith, specifically citing the failure to negotiate and conclude five consecutive Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) dating back to 2015. This administrative inertia has effectively frozen the terms and conditions of service for unionisable employees for over ten years, a situation the union describes as untenable in the face of rising living costs.

A Legacy of Broken Agreements

The dispute runs deeper than just stalled salary reviews. The union has levelled serious accusations against the regulator for breaching the Labour Relations Act by refusing to deduct and remit union dues for hundreds of employees who have voluntarily joined KAWU. This refusal is seen by labour experts as a tactic to cripple the union financially and weaken its bargaining power. Furthermore, the union has highlighted the plight of employees in Grades 4 and 5, whose career progression has been stymied by the regulator’s refusal to implement directive promotions, leaving many skilled workers in professional limbo.

The staffing crisis at the East African School of Aviation (EASA) has also emerged as a critical flashpoint. The union claims the KCAA has resorted to a revolving door of short-term contracts for positions that require permanent personnel. Ndiema described this as a form of labour abuse where employees are let go and immediately rehired in the same roles to avoid paying pension and long-term benefits.

• Contractual Perpetuity: The union argues that keeping workers on endless short-term contracts denies them the right to decent work and equal pay for equal value.
• HR Instrument Controversy: KAWU is also contesting new human resource instruments that threaten to downgrade job groups and enforce pay cuts, a move they say was pushed through without stakeholder participation.
• The Strike Timeline: The seven-day clock began ticking on Monday, February 9, giving the KCAA until next Monday to table a realistic proposal or face a total withdrawal of labour.

The Economic Stakes

A strike by KAWU members would have catastrophic consequences for Kenya’s economy, which relies heavily on tourism and horticulture exports flown out of JKIA. Air traffic controllers, who are part of the union, are essential to the safety and movement of every aircraft in Kenyan airspace. A withdrawal of their labor would effectively close the sky, stranding thousands of passengers and grounding millions of dollars in cargo. The standoff places immense pressure on Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to intervene before the deadline expires.

“Attempts by the Union to persuade Management to restart negotiations have been met with frustrations, contempt, hollow excuses, and a demonstrable lack of goodwill,” Ndiema stated during the press briefing. With the countdown underway, the aviation industry holds its breath, waiting to see if the KCAA will blink first or let the sector plunge into chaos.