A national crisis could be looming after more unions of government employees (public servants) threatened to lay down their tools in solidarity with secondary school arts and primary school teachers protesting disparities in salary enhancement.
On June 15, secondary school arts and primary school teachers under the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) announced their industrial action after finance minister Matia Kasaija confirmed that science teachers were among scientists whose salaries would be hugely increased starting in the FY2022-23 which kicks off next month.
Days later, Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire directed striking arts teachers to return to class or wait and be fired.
PS Bitarakwate also directed Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to compiled lists of arts teachers who have refused to return to class for deletion from the government payroll.
It is this controversial order that has prompted about 10 workers unions to threaten a national shutdown by making it clear that they will mobilize their members to lay down their tools if government goes ahead to sack striking arts teachers.
Meeting at Unatu offices in Kampala on June 23, a number of trade unions announced their solidarity with secondary school arts and primary school teachers, and insisted that government should meet their demands or wait for a national shutdown.
The unions standing in solidarity with Unatu include: National Organisation of Trade Unions (Notu), an umbrella body of 34 workers unions in Uganda; Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU), Uganda Local Government workers Union (ULGWU), National Uganda Government and Allied Workers Union (NUGAWU), Uganda Government Allied Workers Union (UGAWU), Uganda Liberal Teachers Union (ULITU), and University Professional and Academic Staff Union (UPASU), among others.
Notu national chairman Usher Wilson Owere told the Public Service Ministry to withdraw the letter it has to Unatu threatening the teachers, saying the notice was “wrong and against the law” since “workers have rights to their Labour as long as they follow the law, which was done by the teachers under the leadership of the Union.”
According to Owere, PS Bitarakwate made a big mistake to threaten teachers when she well knew that President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s government has failed to fulfill the promises made in the Collective Bargaining Agreements it signed with various groups of workers.
Meanwhile, secondary school arts and primary level teachers under Unatu have fired back at President Museveni’s government, making it clear that threats of being fired will not force them to end their strike. (Read Story Here).
A group of MPs have also openly supported the arts teachers’ strike and told Museveni’s government to present a supplementary budget to Parliament with the aim of increasing salaries. (Read Story Here).
BACKGROUND
In his budget speech read on Tuesday, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija announced that the salaries of science teachers, scientists and health workers will be increased in a ‘very big’ way starting July 2022. (Read Story Here).
MORE ON TEACHERS’ SALARY INCREMENT
MORE ON SALARY INCREMENT CIRCUS
In order to improve service delivery and end the challenge of strikes over low pay, President Museveni’s government has proposed huge salary increments for teachers, doctors and other employees starting July 2022. (Read Story Here)
The proposed increments have left many people wondering if government will really fulfill this pledge and increase salaries by very high amounts.
For example, opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has argued that the promise of salary increment is just ‘another lie.’ (Read Story Here).
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija recently said the money for increasing teachers’, doctors’ and other civil servants’ salaries was available. (Read Story Here).
In August 2021, cabinet approved salary increment for teachers, doctors and other health workers. (Read Story Here).
See the salary structure that had been proposed for the current financial year here.
UPDATED LIST: See Salary Structure for All Government Workers
Meanwhile, an NRM MP has angered teachers after telling them they are too poor to go on strike. (Read Story Here).
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