Kenya Airways seeks Cotu help over looming wages strike

Kenya Airways is seeking the help of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) to tackle the labour headache threatening its profitability.

The Aviation and Allied Workers Union (AAWU) is demanding about Sh325 million in allowances that the airline has rejected on grounds it would hurt profit margins.

Because of the standoff, the union has asked members to down tools, a development that has prompted KQ to seek Cotu’s intervention.

“This demand is unrealistic, unprocedural, illegal and unsustainable as it would translate to an additional unbudgeted cost on the company’s wage bill,” said Titus Naikuni, the airline’s CEO in a statement released on Friday.

“I have asked the Cotu secretary- general, Mr Francis Atwoli, who has been part of deliberations that have involved the airline management, AAWU (K) national office and FKE to intervene by urging the Union not to deviate from the process that was agreed upon by all parties on the 24th September 2010,” Mr Naikuni said.

The airline says it signed an agreement with AAWU in April 2010 to increase allowances, backdated to October 2009, at a cost of Sh129 million.

However, the union wants this to be backdated by 15 months.