Kawu issues strike notice citing workers' mistreatment by senior JKIA manager
Kenya Aviation Workers Union (Kawu) addressing the press at Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa. He said the union's members working at JKIA would go on strike over alleged mistreatment by a senior airport manager. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Kawu Secretary General Moss Ndiema said the strike call follows failure by KAA to comply with the union’s demands.
- He said that the union had written letters to KAA management over the issue which had not been addressed to date.
- Mr Ndiema claimed that the manager was using the police to intimidate and arrest workers who did not share his views.
- He said that by Tuesday next week, the said manager should have been removed from work failure to which all 1,800 workers at JKIA will down their tools.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (Kawu) has issued a seven days strike notice to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) protesting over alleged mistreatment of workers by a senior manager.
Addressing the press at Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa, the union’s Secretary General Moss Ndiema said the strike call follows failure by KAA to comply with the union’s demands.
“The reason for this action is failure by the management of KAA to heed the demand of the union to recall the senior manager at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA),” he said.
He said that the union had written letters to KAA management over the issue which had not been addressed to date.
“This manager has been victimizing workers and uses the police to harass our members. The best example was an incident last week where two employees were arrested from their homes and detained for about 18 hours merely for failing to renew driving licenses,” he said.
USING POLICE TO INTIMIDATE
Mr Ndiema claimed that the manager was using the police to intimidate and arrest workers who did not share his views.
“This manager is infringing on the workers’ rights. Together with the police, they represent a yoke of bondage on our shoulders which must be shaken off. Respect and dignity at the work place have no substitute,” he said.
He said that by Tuesday next week, the said manager should have been removed from work failure to which all 1,800 workers at JKIA will down their tools.
Mr Ndiema said certain positions at the JKIA had been created illegally to reward some individuals.
The strike, if successful, will eventually affect all the KAA operations in the country, said Mr Ndiema adding that Kawu has more than 10,000 memebrs.
