Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda Government and Allied Workers Union (UGAWU) and the National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU) have voiced fresh concerns over persistent labor challenges, including delayed remittance of union dues and the government’s failure to implement a landmark public servants’ salary agreement.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for UGAWU’s newly constituted National Executive Committee (NEC), Acting General Secretary Andrew Muhandiki said the training was part of a broader strategy to equip leaders with tools to revitalize the union’s operations and recruit more members.
“We are giving our NEC the tools to run this union and to launch a countrywide campaign to bring it back to its former glory,” Muhandiki said.
UGAWU, one of Uganda’s oldest unions, represents workers across ministries, local governments, and government agencies. Muhandiki urged stronger engagement with government, warning that neglecting the labor force undermines service delivery and public investments.
“You have huge budgets for roads and schools, but the local government workers—who are the engines of service delivery—are not well facilitated. That affects how services actually reach the people,” he said.
The 25-member NEC, elected during the union’s annual delegates’ conference, received an overview of the public sector landscape and their responsibilities as union leaders. Muhandiki expressed confidence the training would re-energize the leadership and improve advocacy efforts.
Meanwhile, Robert Wanzusi Matukhu, General Secretary for the Infrastructure Sector under NOTU, criticised the Public Service Negotiating, Consultative, and Disputes Settlement Machinery established in 2008 to mediate and negotiate better working terms for public servants.
“This machinery was created to resolve industrial unrest and improve the terms and conditions of service for workers. But since the law was passed, the council has never determined anything of value for workers,” Matukhu said.
He noted that the council has met fewer than ten times in over 15 years, despite being mandated to meet regularly, and has failed to secure tangible improvements.
Matukhu cited a long-delayed agreement signed between trade unions and the government to ensure the lowest-paid public servant would earn at least UGX 1.1 million by 2024. He said government’s failure to implement the deal leaves workers with “no option but to return to industrial unrest.”
“If government cannot implement what was mutually agreed upon after years of negotiation, what is the value of this machinery?” he asked.
Both leaders urged the government to prioritise labor welfare in policy and budget decisions, warning that continued neglect could destabilise industrial harmony and erode trust in social dialogue.
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