This is a serious misuse of English words. I always thought an engineer is a highly educated scientist who conducts a lot of research and INVENTS new products or enhances the capabilities of products that already exist. For example developing a new microchip or a new car transmission.
So unless these people who were fired were designing a new breaking system for a jetliner or coming up with a new Airbus engine, they are really not engineers but maintenance crews ama simply, mechanics.
KQ boss Sebastian Mikosz told the striking employees that the boycott was against the company’s efforts at financial restructuring.
He said the airline will not be held at ransom by striking workers.
[B]KQ, which is financially constrained, said a technical assistant used to earn Sh120,000 and this was increased to Sh200,000 in April after a review; but add that the workers are now demanding Sh340,000.
Production and duty control engineers, who earn Sh340,000 want a pay hike to Sh1.2 million a month, the national carrier said.[/B]
SALARY
But Mr Oyuga said a technical assistant currently earns Sh36,000.
He said the want the salaries of technicians increased from Sh62,000 to Sh500,000 and that of senior technicians increased from Sh90,000 to Sh600,000.
Mr Oyuga added that engineers’ salaries should be increased from Sh200,000 to Sh720,000.