Why aviation sector workers are against Adani's takeover of JKIA

Aviation workers’ representatives have revealed fresh details on why they are against the government deal to hand over the management of Kenya’s major airport to Indian firm, Adani Group.

The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (Kawu) says if the deal goes through, about 30,000 employees working at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) could lose their jobs or be forced to apply afresh to the external investor.

The claims were made yesterday in Nairobi after a meeting that brought together a section of airport employees led by the union’s secretary general Moss Ndiema.

It was during the convention that the workers agreed to suspend their strike that was slated for August 19 after being invited for a negotiation by recently appointed Transport Cabinet Secretary Davies Chirchir on August 20.

Before that, the Ministry of Labour had reached out to the union leadership asking them to stop the planned strike.

“After talking to the delegates, we have considered the request and in light of the invite from CS Transport, we have agreed that we will delay our strike action for two weeks,” Ndiema announced.

At the same time, the airport employees argued that it was unfair to involve external investors to manage the airport yet Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is financially able at the moment and can carry out any required refurbishment.

“Why should KAA go the public-private partnership way when it has the resources, it has the money to invest in its organisation and expansion?” Ndiema posed.

The secretary-general said KAA is financially liquid and is currently one of the few profit-making parastatals.

The union claimed that as far as the matter is concerned, they are aware that Adani is not planning to put up a new runway. “Instead they are saying we are only coming to manage and refurbish”.

“Are we saying that KAA cannot refurbish the airport as it currently is? Is KAA unable to manage?

“If it is unable to manage, if management is a problem, it can be replaced. So there is no justification why the country is going the BPP way. KAA has money,” Ndiema added.

In the proposed deal that has sparked public uproar, Adani seeks to take over JKIA for 30 years in a plan that includes changing aviation laws and policies to limit competition and maximise profits.

The company has also demanded the establishment of a fund by the State to cover damages if the JKIA deal is terminated, regardless of the reasons.

At the same time the company will handle all losses and disputes, while the government will finance the project and manage existing issues.

This includes controlling land access, tax exemptions, and fees, fixing and raising prices, and repatriating earnings.

Engage workers

The workers accused KAA management of coming out to share the details about the external investor after reports started circulating on social media, claiming that by March the management was aware of the deal but kept mum.

Ndiema said Kawu has not been engaged formally as a stakeholder and representative of workers.

“They want us to wait until they finish the process, so what next after they finish? They force it down our throats? We have to be part. No one else will negotiate terms for our members,” he said.

“Anything touching on employment, we have to be on that table. Nobody will speak for us.”

In the lengthy meeting, the workers claimed there could be a secret deal by the external investor (Adani) to use the JKIA title to secure a loan from the Middle East.

“The question is, what makes it impossible for KAA, through the Government of Kenya, to secure a facility if they think they need a lot of money at once?” Ndiema posed during the address.

“Why get a third party to go and secure a loan for you and make that money appear as if it belongs to that company? That is wrong.”

Among other reasons why the workers are against Adani Group is that Kenya Airways could lose the ground handling operations.

They fear other airlines could also lose handling business at the JKIA.

The workers said in the next two weeks, they want to see management changes at both KAA.

“We are very clear, the government is aware of who these are, and including the board of directors of KAA,” the secretary general added.

Similarly, the workers questioned why their terms of employment have not been reviewed since 2016 yet there were reports that the management has entered a lucrative deal with Adani.

“The fact that JKIA will be removed from Kenya, it will be removed from our hands. KAA employees will not own and operate JKIA for the next 30 years. That is as good as selling it,” Kawu said.

It said that by the time Adani will be done most of the airport employees would have left.

The SG said another worrying issue is that the external investor could begin everything afresh with new people and new organisations.

The union says according to a report by the Ministry of Lands and Planning, JKIA land is worth Sh936 billion against a deal of about Sh200 billion that Adani is bringing in the deal.

Even though the workers have agreed to go to the negotiation table, they insist that there must be changes in the management of Kenya Airways and Kenya Airports Authority.

“We are also getting into these discussions with the determination that a resolution will only travel the highway of relieving some people, some managers of their roles, both at KAA and KQ,” Ndiema said.

“We will not end this dispute with the same people who have occasioned hate, who have come up with punitive policies, and decisions against our members. We will not end this dispute until they step out of those organizations,”

He added that should the discussions and deliberations of the government not bear fruit, and after two weeks they will not issue another notice but start the strike immediately.