Matheka & 3 others v Kenya Airline Pilots Association & 2 others; Ministry of Labour and Social Protection & 3 others (Interested Parties) (Constitutional Petition E168 of 2024) [2025] KEELRC 721 (KLR)
The bottom line
#Kenya's Employment Court upheld unions' agency fee deductions and exclusive recognition agreements, dismissing a Kenya Airways pilot's constitutional challenge in full.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Key legal issues
#Lawfulness of agency fee deductions from a non-member under section 49 of the Labour Relations Act
The deduction was lawful; nothing unconstitutional was established and the constitutionality of section 49 was not pleaded
The court held that section 49 requires the employer to deduct and remit agency fees for unionisable staff who are not union members, per the Ministerial order (Legal Notice No. 174 of 2021). Since the constitutionality of section 49 was not pleaded as an issue, the court could not determine it, and no unconstitutional conduct was shown.
Violation of Article 47(1) fair administrative action in the expulsion of the 1st petitioner
No violation established; the expulsion letter showed reasons and procedure, and the issue appears res judicata in ELRC Petition E015 of 2022
The expulsion letter of 08.02.2022 referred to a show-cause letter and a further letter, indicating reasons and procedure, and was subject to review or ratification at a conference. The court was not informed of further steps. The issue also appears to have been decided or to have ought to have been decided in the earlier petition, rendering it res judicata.
Constitutionality of the exclusivity/monopoly clause 3(a) of the 1978 recognition agreement
Clause 3(a) is not unconstitutional per se; it can be construed and implemented consistently with Articles 36 and 41 and section 54 of the Labour Relations Act
The court adopted the 1st respondent's submission that employees in the covered categories are not bound by the clause and remain free to form and join other unions; a new union meeting the section 54 simple-majority threshold must be recognised. Only a specific application producing an unconstitutional effect would fall for quashing in appropriate proceedings. A statutory path under section 54(5) also exists to terminate or revoke a recognition agreement.
Claims based on the 2017 CBA (sick leave, recruitment control, union directives on flight operations)
Moot; the 2017 CBA has been replaced by a new CBA registered on 29.01.2025, and the petitioners did not challenge that the new CBA resolves the issues
The court found it common ground that the 2017 collective agreement was overtaken by the subsequent agreement registered in court on 29.01.2025, rendering the related prayers moot. Any challenge to a registered collective agreement may be brought under rule 78 of the ELRC (Procedure) Rules 2024, and discrimination claims require particulars of affected employees.
Legal principles established
#- A recognition agreement clause granting a union exclusivity of representation is not inherently unconstitutional; it is capable of lawful and constitutional implementation, and only its application with an unconstitutional effect in a particular case would fall for nullification
- Employees remain free to form and join other unions notwithstanding a monopoly clause, and an employer is obligated to recognise a new union meeting the threshold in section 54 of the Labour Relations Act
- Where a collective agreement has been replaced by a subsequent registered agreement, claims premised on the superseded agreement are rendered moot
Court orders
#- 1.The petition is dismissed
- 2.Each party to bear own costs of the petition
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Articles 41, 47 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 (employment and labour relations jurisdiction of the ELRC)
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Matheka & 3 others v Kenya Airline Pilots Association & 2 others; Ministry of Labour and Social Protection & 3 others (Interested Parties) (Constitutional Petition E168 of 2024) [2025] KEELRC 721 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). Petition dated 16.10.2024 (ELRC Petition). Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelrc/2025/721/eng@2025-03-07
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.