Ei-iE

The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), has announced that its members will go on strike as of 14 September. This move is a result of the Government’s failure to increase teachers’ salaries by 20 per cent in the 2013/14 budget.

UNATU sent a 90-day notice to the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU), an umbrella body of workers in Uganda comprising 20 affiliated unions and to which UNATU is affiliated. In its notice, UNATU said its intended industrial action against the Government was due to a breach of the agreement made in 2011 between the President of Uganda and the teacher union.

The agreement provided for the increase of teachers’ wages by 50 per cent, payable in three instalments: 15 per cent in 2012/2013, 20 per cent 2013/14, and 15 per cent in 2014/15.

As a result of this undertaking, UNATU called off a strike planned in 2011 on the understanding that the Government would honour its commitment of paying the 50 per cent salary increase.

Decision to strike

On 25 June, the UNATU National Executive Council unanimously decided to undertake strike action if the government refused to honour its commitment and obligation.

The law provides for a period of 90 days – notification to the chairperson of the National Negotiating and Consultative Council - of any intentions to strike and this notification will end on 14 September.

Support from national union confederation

In a 3 July meeting, members of NOTU’s Central Governing Council unanimously resolved to express solidarity with UNATU and support its industrial action.

In a letter addressed to Uganda’s President and dated 4 July, NOTU General Secretary Peter Christopher Werikhe wrote that “acting in solidarity with the teachers’ union, NOTU specifically demanded that:

• The 20 per cent salary increment which was agreed upon last year be paid unconditionally
• The Parliament of the Republic of Uganda should not pass the budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 without the provision for payment of the teachers’ salary increment
• a national strike of all workers would be declared at the end of the notice should the government refuse to honour the agreement.”

He added that the NOTU members have resolved that the intended strike will not only be for teachers but the entire work force in Uganda under the spirit of “an injury to one, an injury to all”.

EI: Decent living and working conditions for educators

“EI supports our Ugandan colleagues in their struggle to see the agreement which was signed by the government respected,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “We urge Uganda’s public authorities to keep their promise and immediately pay the 20 per cent salary increase, and ensure that national educators receive decent working and living conditions. This is the only way to guarantee quality education for all in this country.”