Chinese national arrested for blocking minister from inspecting factory

An unidentified Chinese national was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly blocking the Gender, Labour and Social Development Minister, Betty Amongi from inspecting the working conditions of employees at the Namanve based Sunbelt industries which specializes in recycling aluminum oxide.

The minister was conducting a routine inspection of the working conditions in factories within Mbalala and Namanve industrial parks in Mukono District. However, at Sunbelt industries, the Chinese national blocked the minister from accessing some sections of the factory, saying she didn’t have an invitation. This prompted the minister’s security to arrest the Chinese national and hand him over to Namanve police station.  
  
Later, the minister inspected the pump and Steel section in the factory where they had been blocked from accessing and found poor hygienic conditions. At least 80 per cent of the 100 women working in the plant lack access to clean sanitary facilities. The women use a seven stance pit latrine, which is almost filled to capacity and emits a heavy stench. The verandah is littered with stagnant dirty water.  
The workers also lack protective gear such as gloves and boots. None of the workers was found wearing headgear despite operating machines, which produce severe heat and heavy sound that has the potential of inflicting physical injuries on the workers.

A number of employees told this reporter on condition of anonymity that their Chinese bosses assault and issue threats of arrest to whoever complains about their working conditions. Our efforts to talk to the management didn’t yield results. 
The managing director has reportedly been offsite for some time. Amongi expressed concern that despite working in risky areas many of the workers lack contracts.   She explained that such employees face challenges pushing for treatment and compensation in case of injuries. 
   
“All the legal necessary requirement the worker must have are supposed to be adhered to by all the companies and factories. On the issue of contract, we have already notified them and we're going to sit down with them and let them understand because in the legal framework, we have enforcement mechanisms. We have penalties that we can give to these companies. We shall first of all undertake a cooperative engagement mechanism and if they do not comply then we shall undertake those penalties, some of which include closure of the factories,” she said.

Peter Okorot, a machine operator at Tian Tang Group, says it is hard to avoid injuries, especially when working in the steel department, and the situation becomes hard when one sustains a permanent injury.
“Once one lacks a working contract it becomes hard to make certain claims such as treatment and better compensation yet what is being paid is less to save for personal development,” he notes. 
Nonetheless, John Van Vredendaal, the Farm Manager of Royal Van Zanten limited, which packs flowers advises factory owners to issue their employees working contracts regardless of the payments.

“We do have regulations for people who suffer from backache; we compensate, we treat them, we give them the physiotherapies, but eventually not everybody is built the same. But if it's work-related then we are willing to compensate them,” he said.
Robert Zikusooka, the Managing Director of Rosefoam Mattresses (Royikems industries) appealed to the government to reduce taxes imposed on them to enable them to cater for the welfare of their workers and pay their salaries on time.