Aviation workers have issued a seven-day strike notice that could disrupt operations across Kenya’s aviation sector if their grievances are not addressed.

Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) Secretary General Moss Ndiemo said the planned industrial action would begin after the seven-day notice issued on Monday, July 20, 2026.

Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, July 17, 2026, Ndiemo warned travellers and other users of aviation facilities to prepare for possible inconveniences should the dispute remain unresolved.

“Seven days from 20th on Monday, you are likely to face inconveniences. You are likely to run into challenges if you are to use any other facility in this republic,” Ndiemo said.

Workers demand protection of rights

The union accused the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) of failing to honour a return-to-work agreement signed in February 2026 after an earlier strike disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and other aviation facilities.

The agreement included the unionisation of employees in grades four and five, compliance with court orders and an undertaking by both sides to avoid victimisation.

Ndiemo said the union would not accept the growth of the aviation sector at the expense of workers’ rights.

“We want a successful prosperous aviation sector. Because that cannot be achieved at the detriment of workers’ rights,” he said.

The union has also raised concerns over what it termed unfair treatment of employees and violations of agreements reached with the aviation authority.

KAWU warns of disruptions

Ndiemo said workers were prepared to take industrial action if the outstanding issues were not resolved within the notice period.

He warned that the strike could affect operations across the country’s aviation sector and cause inconveniences for travellers and other users of aviation services.

“We cannot realise the power besides in us more than in them,” he said, in an apparent reference to the collective strength of workers.

The union’s latest notice comes after an earlier dispute that led to threats of industrial action and legal intervention to prevent disruption of aviation services.

Union seeks lasting solution

KAWU said it wants the outstanding labour issues addressed through negotiations and the implementation of agreements already reached with the relevant authorities.

Ndiemo maintained that workers’ rights must remain central to efforts to build a successful and sustainable aviation industry.

The union’s planned action is expected to put renewed pressure on KCAA and other stakeholders to resolve the dispute before the notice period expires.

Aviation strikes have previously resulted in flight delays, cancellations and disruptions at airports, with passengers advised to monitor developments as the dispute unfolds.

Nandi clinical officers issue strike notices

The aviation workers’ strike notice comes as healthcare services in Nandi County also face possible disruption after clinical officers issued a strike notice over unresolved labour issues.

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, Nandi chapter, said its members would down their tools from July 20, 2027, over the delayed implementation of the 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).