KIA strike rages on, 3 flights rescheduled

As strike continues at Malawi’s Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, three flights were rescheduled on Tuesday as employees continued boycotting overtime work in protest against low allowances.

The flights which were expected to land consecutively during lunch hour included South African, Ethiopian and Kenya Airways.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that one of the flights carried officials that was scheduled to meet President Joyce Band.

Vice Chairperson for Workplace Committee of the Civil Service Trade Union at the Airport, Mr Joel Mkandawire said without they will maintain not working overtime.

“We resolved that while the ministry looks at resolving the issue at hand, we will continue with the normal working pattern,” he said.

On Monday evening, efforts by government to resolve the issue by offering a K4, 000 (US$ 10) per month duty allowance increment to the disgruntled workers did not solve anything.

The workers said they want K10 000 (US$30) for them to resume working overtime.

And this will surely continue crippling operations at the airport.

Ministry of Transport Publicist Miss Joyce Malongo could not divulge more information on government’s next move to salvage the situation.

She however said officials at Capital Hill are scheduled to meet and map the way forward.

Workers at the Airport started pressing for their duty allowance increment in July this year but to no avail.

On July 5, the workers issued government with the first letter with a 28 day notice and thereafter another letter dated 3rd September, 2012 was also forwarded as a reminder.

The last reminder was again forwarded on 22nd of October, 2012; with a 14 days notice and last Monday the workers finally resolved to stop working overtime until government reviews their current K50 a day duty allowance.