Nairobi, KENYA: The Labour Court has ordered Kenya Airways KQ to immediately reinstate the sacked engineers and technicians that had engaged in an unprotected strike.
Juge Hellen Wasilwa on Monday said, that the move is to pave way for hearing of a pending case that has to be determined first.
She also argued that it’s unsafe for the public to fly in unkempt aircrafts hence the need for workers to be reinstated.
The order was in response to an urgent suit by the workers, filed through lawyer Dismas Wambola, challenging their dismissal.
The workers argued that through a letter dated November 29, Kenya Airways purported to summarily dismiss those who were on duty on November 28 for their alleged participation in an unprotected strike on that day.
The engineers and technicians are challenging the airline’s decision to sack them on claims they had engaged in an unprotected strike.
The employees claimed they were not accorded an opportunity to be heard prior to the dismissals.
Kenya Airways had advertised positions of the sacked workers in the local dailies on December 1 and invited interested applicants for interviews with a deadline for submission of applications set for December 15.
The hearing resumes on December 20.
