Notu renew call for minimum wage
Officials from the National Organisation of Trade Unions address the journalists after the workshop in Kampala on Friday. Photo | Busein Samilu
What you need to know:
- Notu Treasurer General, Richard Mawoko, emphasised that the lack of a minimum wage has led to widespread suffering among employees, with some earning as little as Shs5000 per month
Uganda's National Organisation of Trade Unions (Notu) officials have urged the government to establish a minimum wage for all sectors, citing the struggles of employees who earn meagre salaries.
Notu Treasurer General, Richard Mawoko, emphasised that the lack of a minimum wage has led to widespread suffering among employees, with some earning as little as Shs5000 per month.
"For 39 years, the government has been attracting investors, but the problem we see is payments that are increasingly low due to the lack of a minimum wage," Mawoko said. "This country last had a minimum wage in 1984, and we think it's long overdue that it's returned."
Notu Secretary General, Richard Bigirwa, added that most workers, especially in factories, are operating in deplorable conditions. "We conducted a countrywide survey in schools and found that most arts teachers are demotivated, with low morale causing high absenteeism rates," Bigirwa said.
The call for a minimum wage comes after President Museveni declined to comment on the Minimum Wages Bill, 2015, which sought to establish a minimum wage determination mechanism across different sectors.
The Bill was passed by Parliament in February 2015, but the President declined to sign it, citing that the current law is sufficient for the sector.
According to the Ministry of Gender, the current minimum wage in Uganda is UGX130,000 per month, which has been in effect since July 1, 2017. However, Notu members argue that this minimum wage is not enforced, and most employers pay their staff arbitrarily.
Mr Robert Wangutsi, Chairperson of the Infrastructure Workers Union, noted that investors come to Uganda with the goal of growing the economy, but the quality of jobs created is poor. "In factories, employees face poor working conditions," Wangutsi said.
Ms Agather Namirembe, Chairperson of the Uganda Public Service Union, added that most employers pay their staff based on their whims rather than providing them with their rightful earnings.
