JKIA strike: What airport workers want and why passengers are paying the price

The latest strike did not come out of nowhere.

Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) members resumed industrial action on Sunday, August 30, after a government-brokered return-to-work agreement failed to resolve outstanding grievances.

The action has disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Moi International Airport and other facilities, leaving passengers stranded and flights delayed or cancelled.

At the heart of the dispute are different problems at different employers.

The history of the dispute with KAA

The most persistent grievance concerns the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and its collective bargaining agreement.

KAWU says negotiations for a new CBA have effectively been stuck since the 2015–2016 agreement, with five subsequent bargaining cycles outstanding.

The union has also complained about job downgrades, staff being placed on contracts resulting in salary reductions, alleged anti-union practices and the recognition of workers in Grades 4 and 5.

Some of the union’s concerns have already reached court.

In February 2026, the Employment and Labour Relations Court recorded a dispute involving KAWU and KAA over union dues, after an earlier judgment found that KAA had breached labour law by failing to deduct and remit certain union dues and agency fees.

That history helps explain why the latest disagreement is bigger than a wage demand.

It is also about whether previous agreements, court decisions and negotiated commitments are being implemented.

KAA workers have a different list

At the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), grievances have included unpaid overtime, confirmation of contract staff, promotion letters and proposed changes to airport functions.

A 2025 court record is revealing.

During conciliation, KAA and KAWU agreed on several issues, including stopping the proposed transfer of Ground Flight Safety functions to KCAA, converting 507 fixed-term employees to permanent and pensionable terms, issuing appointment letters to promoted workers and paying outstanding overtime at Wilson Airport.

Two major issues remained contested: the KAA board and changes to the HR department.

That means some of today’s anger stems from grievances that have repeatedly been negotiated but not fully settled.

July almost stopped it

The current strike was nearly avoided.

On July 27, KAWU suspended a planned nationwide strike after the government brought the union, KAA, KCAA, Kenya Airways and Jambojet together for a framework agreement.

The parties were given time to negotiate individual disputes. KAWU now says that process failed to deliver sufficient progress.

By August 30, the truce had effectively collapsed.

Airport shutdown is common

The aviation sector has repeatedly reached this point.

In September 2024, workers struck over the proposed 30-year JKIA operating deal with India’s Adani Airport Holdings, warning of possible job losses and foreign employment.

The courts subsequently halted the proposed transaction, which was eventually cancelled.

Then, in February 2026, another KAWU strike disrupted JKIA over the KCAA CBA and unionisation concerns.

A government-brokered agreement ended the stoppage after about a day and a half, with provisions including recognition of Grades 4 and 5 workers for union purposes.

The February settlement did not end the underlying tensions.

Passengers pay the price

Aviation is unusually vulnerable to labor disputes because airport operations depend on multiple specialized functions moving together.

When workers withdraw services, delays can spread through air traffic control, passenger processing, boarding, ground operations and aircraft turnaround.

That is why a dispute involving a relatively small section of the aviation workforce can leave thousands of passengers facing missed connections, cancellations and overnight stays.

Reuters reported passengers stranded for more than 12 hours during the latest disruption.

The immediate victims are therefore travellers.

But the larger cost falls on an industry already under pressure - airlines, tourism, cargo operators and Kenya’s position as a regional aviation hub.

And unless the unresolved labour issues are finally settled, another temporary truce may simply be another countdown to the next strike.