Mixed reaction as local govt workers call off strike

Local government workers yesterday called off a planned strike after the government promised to increase their salaries in the next financial year.

The strike, which was announced by Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU) alongside other public service labour unions, was scheduled to start yesterday.

The group accused the government of failing to honour the 2018 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in which it pledged to increase salaries for all public servants.

The union wants entry point employees and other support staff, including attendants to earn Shs1.7m and the pay for those at the level of chief administrative officers (CAOs) to be raised to Shs15 million from Shs2.3m.

However, when the Monitor visited the local governments yesterday, there was no sign that the workers were planning to go on strike.

In Nebbi District, it was business as usual for local government workers. There was no indication that any of them were planning to join the strike.

Civil servants in Maracha District did not seem interested in the strike as they carried on with their duties like any other day.

 In the neighbouring Arua District, the chief executive officer (CAO), Mr Jude Bukenya, said they would follow the government’s directive on the matter since it is the one that pays them. 

In Lango and some parts of Acholi sub-regions, government workers seemed unbothered by the strike.

For instance,  in Lira, Apac, Oyam, Dokolo, Kole, Kwania, and Pader districts, civil servants reported for duty as usual.

 The Pader acting district information officer, Mr Patrick Ocan, said all the government workers reported for work yesterday.

He added that civil servants in Pader were not interested in the strike because it would be a waste of time.

“The financial year has just ended and there is some pending work which needs to be completed,” he said.

In Mbarara City, district offices were open and all the workers were busy with their daily operations.

Speaking to Daily Monitor yesterday, the Mbarara CAO, Mr Edward Kasagara, said:  “We are not striking and I am not the spokesperson of the union to give communication. For us here we are working.”

Mr James Bikwatsize Tukwase, the mayor of Bitooma Town Council in Bushenyi District, said: “There is no need for us to strike because it will yield nothing given the outcome of the teachers’ case. So most of the local government leaders have worked today.” 

Mr Assy Abireebe Tumwesigye, the Mbarara City town clerk, asked CAOs not to take part in the strike.

“I don’t encourage the industrial strike because it might not yield anything for us, at the moment,”  he said.

In Jinja City, the senior assistant clerk, Mr Abubaker Menya Kirunda, said all civil servants reported to their respective work stations.

“Which strike are you talking about? I am in the office and so are all my staff,’’ Mr Kirunda said in a telephone interview.

 In Bugweri District, the Ibulanku Sub-county chairperson, Mr Ibrahim Ndogha, said the civil servants were working as usual.

“My sub-county is okay with the civil servants going about their work. Those who are not in office have gone for field work,’’ Mr Ndogha said.

Not happy

In Moyo, the district chairperson, Mr Williams Anyama, said the civil servants were struggling to make ends meet due to the rising cost of living in the country.

 “The salary of one Member of Parliament (MP) per month can pay me for one year but the civil servants are getting peanuts. The government should think of paying them well,” he said.

The Bukedea District speaker, Mr Juma Emong Showan, said they want better welfare and operation allowances.

“As district speakers, we should be entitled to government cars and an increment in salary,” he said.

 Mr Christopher Okwii, Ngora District speaker, urged the government to ensure that it fulfills its promise to increase their salaries, adding that if it fails, they will have nothing left to do but go on strike.

In Tororo, the principal assistant secretary in the office of the chief administrative officer, Mr Jackson Osudo, said: “We would have loved to be part of the strike but the recent strike by teachers clearly showed that the government doesn’t have money to offset salary enhancement and, therefore, we cannot squeeze water from the rock.”

He added that many of the local government workers in the district are not registered with the workers union.

Mr Osudo said they met all departmental and sector heads last week and asked them not to take part in the strike.

strikes over pay

The Arts teachers through their umbrella body, Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu), laid down their tools on June 15 over a pay rise, paralysing teaching and learning in most government schools.

The teachers were not happy with government’s decision to increase salaries of Science teachers and leave them out.

The strike was called off on Monday and teachers returned to class.

In May, Science teachers went on strike to protest government’s failure to increase their salaries as promised by President Museveni.

The teachers wanted the Public Service ministry to implement the presidential directive and Cabinet resolutions of August 24, 2021, of enhancing salaries for all scientists, including science teachers, to Shs4m for the newly-appointed degree holders and Shs3m for diploma holders.

The teachers eventually called off their strike after the government promised to increase their pay in the 2022/2023 Financial Year.

In May, doctors and nurses also went on strike demanding that government increase their salaries.

The health workers said the government agreed that each month, diploma health workers should get Shs3 million, certificate holders should bag Shs1.3 million and degree holders should be paid Shs4.8m.

They eventually called off the strike after a meeting with the government.

Compiled by Fred Wambede, Felix Warom, Clement Aluma, Patrick Okaba, Scovin Iceta and Ronald Acema, Joseph Omollo, Bill Oketch, Robert Owot, Abubaker Kirunda, Simon Peter Emwamu, Felix Ainebyoona Sheillar Mutetsi.

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