The Transport Workers Union – Kenya (TAWU) has issued a 21-day strike notice to Turkish Airlines, escalating a labour row over alleged failure to conclude a collective bargaining agreement for unionised staff in Kenya.
In a letter addressed to the carrier’s general manager, TAWU accused the airline of refusing to finalise the CBA, on top of persistently failing to negotiate in good faith despite extended talks and court-encouraged engagement between the parties.
The strike notice sets the stage for possible industrial action early next month should the dispute remain unresolved, potentially affecting Turkish Airlines’ operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of its key gateways in East Africa.
“TAWU hereby issues this 21-day strike notice. This notice arises from your continued refusal to conclude the CBA and persistent failure to negotiate in good faith, notwithstanding prolonged negotiations,” reads the letter by the union’s secretary general Nicholas Otieno.
“TAWU remains ready, willing, and available to conclude the CBA within the notice period should the employer meaningfully engage and negotiate in good faith.”
The union says the dispute is currently before the court and that the presiding judge had urged both sides to resume negotiations in good faith, an instruction it claims the airline has not acted upon.
According to the union, lack of progress has stalled conclusion of a binding agreement that would govern pay structures, allowances, working hours, leave entitlements, and other employment terms for its members. An official of the airline who did not wish to be named acknowledged receipt of the notice, but noted that unionised staff members had yet to receive communication from TAWU.
“We currently have 13 staffers who are members of TAWU, and we’ve established that they haven’t received any official communication from the union. The CBA in question had about 50 clauses, and we’ve concluded 48 of them. Negotiations are still ongoing,” said the official.
CBAs have for years formed the cornerstone of Kenya’s labour relations framework, particularly in unionised sectors such as transport, aviation, and logistics, where working conditions are closely regulated.
Disputes over the labour agreements have become more frequent in recent years as unions seek to protect wages and benefits amid rising living costs, while employers face pressure from high operating expenses and volatile global markets.
The aviation sector has been especially sensitive, with airlines globally contending with fluctuating fuel prices, currency pressures, and post-pandemic recovery challenges.
In Kenya, airlines operate within a tightly regulated environment that requires compliance not only with aviation safety standards, but also with local labour laws governing employment practices.
Industrial actions involving airline staff carry heightened implications due to the sector’s interconnected nature, where disruptions can quickly affect flight schedules, passenger handling, cargo movement, and airport operations.
Last year, Turkish Airlines resumed flights to Moi International Airport in Mombasa after a five-year hiatus, operating three weekly flights between Istanbul and the Kenyan coastal city.
