Lucky Patrick
The Uganda local governments association [ULGA], have called for a meeting with president Yoweri Museveni ahead of their Industrial action.
The industrial Action
The local government workers industrial action, is slated on July 7 this year, which may threaten service delivery in the country.
Under their umbrella body, Uganda local government workers Union [ULGWU] including workers in Sub Counties, town councils, cities, municipalities, districts among others, threatened to lay down their tools due to low pay.
The Cause
The workers accuse government of failure to enhance their salaries as agreed in the Collective Bargaining (CBA) Act 2018.
According to the agreement, government was supposed to increase salaries for all public servants including those of local government.
Part of the proposed salary structure, shows that salary for the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) was to be increased from current pay of Shs2.3 million to Shs15m, while that of deputy CAO from Shs2m to Shs14.5m. That of support staff (mainly attendants) was to be increased from Shs187,600 to Shs to Shs1.7m.
In the agreement, it was also agreed that salary disparities in the public service be addressed since all servants have same qualifications, work same hours, pay the same bills among other reasons.
According to a statement dated July 1, 2022, by ULGWU’s general secretary, Hassan Lwabayi Mudiba, despite all the necessary reminders and dialogue, government partially played its part and defaulted, which has sparked the dispute.
ULGA president’s say
In the letter dated July 4 2022, Richard Rwabuhinga the ULGA president signed the letter addressed to President Museveni.
In the very letter, ULGA has requested H.E Museveni to find some time and meet with their executive and district Chairpersons over the impending industrial Action.
The meeting, seeks for the two parties to discuss issues pertinent to the welfare of local government leaders as portrayed in their earlier letter dated April 20 2022.
According to Rwabuhinga, the impending industrial action threatens to affect service delivery in local governments. This to him, thus calls for the president’s guidance to the local government leaders in avoidance of any further paralysis of service delivery.
The ULGA president, however commended the government for the continued financial and capacity building support provided to local government, to enable them provide quality services to the people under the decentralized mandates.
Mean while, in Fort Portal, we have noted that only a section of local government workers is set to strike, and not all.
