By Spy Uganda
Air travel across Kenya is set to return to normal after aviation workers called off their strike on Tuesday, ending several days of disruption that affected flights, passengers and regional air connectivity.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) reached a return-to-work agreement with the government and aviation industry employers, directing its members to resume duty immediately and work with management to clear the backlog created by the industrial action.
The agreement brings relief to thousands of passengers who had faced flight cancellations, delays, diversions and congestion at airports, particularly Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The strike, which started on August 30, had consequences beyond Kenya because Nairobi serves as an important aviation gateway linking East and Central Africa.
Regional airlines were among those affected. Uganda Airlines had warned passengers about delays affecting flights to and from Nairobi, while Kenya Airways reported that some services were departing two to three hours late because of air traffic control constraints.
Although workers have now returned to their stations, airlines and passengers may not immediately experience a complete return to normal schedules.
Carriers are expected to take some time to clear accumulated delays, reposition aircraft and crews and reconnect passengers who were stranded or missed onward connections during the strike.
Under the return-to-work agreement, agency fees owed to KAWU and being held by the Kenya Airports Authority will be remitted to the union immediately.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) also withdrew earlier guidance that had complicated negotiations between KAWU and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
The earlier guidance had recommended that outstanding collective bargaining agreements be handled on a “zero-review basis”, a position that effectively prevented salary adjustments for workers.
The SRC issued new negotiating parameters on September 1, giving the two sides room to resume negotiations.
While KAWU maintained reservations about the revised guidelines, the union and KCAA agreed to immediately restart collective bargaining talks.
Under the agreement, KCAA management committed to negotiate in good faith and implement the eventual outcome of the collective bargaining process.
The negotiations will address three outstanding bargaining cycles covering 2015–2019, 2019–2023 and 2023–2027.
KAWU had previously accused KCAA of allowing workers’ terms and conditions of service to remain stagnant for 11 years.
The return-to-work agreement does not resolve a separate dispute involving Jambojet and KAWU over union recognition.
That matter will continue through the courts, with Jambojet committing to respect the eventual ruling and comply with applicable legal and procedural requirements.
Meanwhile, the return-to-work deal provides protection for employees who participated in the strike.
The agreement bars victimisation, intimidation, discrimination or disciplinary action against workers arising from their participation in the industrial action.
The parties have also committed themselves to maintaining industrial peace and handling outstanding disputes through consultation, negotiation and established dispute-resolution mechanisms.
With aviation workers back on duty, airport operations are expected to progressively stabilise.
However, passengers travelling through Nairobi and other affected airports may continue to experience some delays as airlines work through the disruption accumulated over the past several days.
The restoration of normal operations is particularly significant for regional travellers, given Nairobi’s role as a major connection point for destinations across East and Central Africa.
For Uganda Airlines passengers, the end of the industrial action is expected to ease disruptions on the carrier’s Nairobi-linked services, although travellers may still need to check their individual flight schedules as airlines restore normal rotations.
The agreement therefore marks the end of the immediate industrial confrontation while opening a new phase of negotiations between aviation workers and their employers over pay, working conditions and collective bargaining agreements.
