Kenya Airways (KQ) on Monday, November 7 advertised positions of pilots who are on strike which marks its third day today.
KQ’s Chief People Officer Tom Shivo announced that the airline is accepting applications for captains and first officers positions.
In an update on LinkedIn, the airline also announced that it is recruiting a Legal Counsel and a Brand Executive – Sustainability.
“I can confirm that we are looking for suitable applicants to fill the positions of Captains and First Officers at Kenya Airways,” Shivo told Nation.
This comes hours after KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka warned that disciplinary action will be taken against pilots, if they do not return to work.
“Because of their hard stance, we have a stalemate. This is because they have given us their original proposals without any meaningful concession.
“It leaves us with no alternative but to continue with the disciplinary process that we have already initiated,” he said.
Kilavuka noted that the airline management was ready to engage with the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) but only when the pilots return to work.
“Having said that we are still open to talks, meaningful talks, but the most important thing is that these talks have to be held under the condition that they return to work,” he added.
The pilots had issued a 14-day strike notice over withdrawal of Provident Fund and harassment of union officials among other issues.
The pilots said they had raised the issues on multiple occasions but they have remain unresolved.
“We have been desirous to resolve these matters through various engagements and we have made a number of please to the KQ leadership to address these matters to conclusion
“However, you and the KQ management team remain unperturbed and unbothered to find solutions to these matters that have continued to impact the pilot fraternity,” said KALPA secretary-general Capt. Murithi Nyaga.
However, on the other hand, Kilavuka argued that reviving the Provident Fund will come at the expense of something else.
“We do have this Provident Fund which is actually very sensitive and we as employers have an obligation to contribute to it
“The only reason why the Provident Fund was suspended is because we couldn’t afford it and we followed the laid-down process in suspending that fund. We cannot be at the moment afford to fund it,” he said.
