Kenya Airways engineers address a presser. [Photo/Capital FM]
The largest airline in Kenya KQ has fired 140 engineers and aircraft technical maintenance team for demanding an 844 percent pay hike.However, according to KQ managing director and chief executive Sebastian Mikosz, the 140 were fired for participating in an illegal strike that began on November 28Mikosz says the management will not entertain actions that sabotage the recovery of the airline which has suffered losses in the last two years.
“All staff who participated in the illegal strike have been terminated from employment with immediate effect and KAA has revoked their passes forthwith,” Mikosz wrote in a memo to staff.
However, the engineers have termed the sack illegal and vowed to fight for what is rightfully theirs.
“We are going to take legal action. By Friday afternoon our lawyers will file a suit against the airline for unlawfully terminating us,” said Joseph Oyuga one of the engineers.
The KQ management insists that the salaries of the technical staff were raised up to 60 percent in February.
The technical team now want technicians to be paid Sh500,000 from Sh62,000 while the senior technician is demanding Sh600,000 from the current Sh90,000.