Teachers insist on strike as term starts

Kampala. Teachers insist they will not show up in class today as the second term opens until government comes clean on their 10 per cent pay rise as it promised last year.
The teachers’ union yesterday remained adamant vowing to go ahead with the planned industrial action, even after an appeal by the Prime Minister not to do so.
Last week, the teachers under their umbrella organisation, the Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu), announced they would lay down their tools until government fulfills its pledge to increase their salaries by 10 per cent in the next financial year.
However, addressing journalists at his office in Kampala at the weekend, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda appealed to the teachers to show up in class, saying that government was constrained to address the teachers and other public servants’ pay rise demand this financial year.

“Due to the unique financial constraints, it has not been possible to implement the remaining 10 per cent in the financial year 2015/2016, but in the 2016/2017, it will be paid. I would also like to mention that due to these financial constraints; there will be no salary increment for all other public servants,” Dr Rugunda said.
But Ms Margaret Rwabushaija, the Unatu chairperson, said the industrial action was still on until a solution to their demand is found.

“The strike is still on, the Prime minister cannot tell us through the media to stop. We are not starting the term until our demand is resolved,” she said.
In 2011, government in a meeting chaired by President Museveni agreed with Unatu to increase teachers’ salaries by 50 per cent in three phases but the teachers’ union has since staged a number of strikes to press government to honour the pledge. Government has so far met 40 per cent of that commitment.

Dr Rugunda also appealed to the teachers to remain calm observing that the increment they have received so far puts them at a higher pay compared to other civil servants on the same scale. “This increment (40 per cent) has been enjoyed by all the teachers and puts the teachers at a reasonably higher pay as compared to other public officers in the same salary scale. For instance, the lowest paid teacher earns Shs408,135 per month compared to other public officers in the same salary scale U7, who earn Shs268,143 per month.”

Primary Education minister JC Muyingo said he was surprised by Unatu call for a strike even after holding several meetings with the union, the last one being last Wednesday.
“We are surprised that Mr James Tweheyo (Unatu secretary general), is calling for a strike. We told them that the 10 per cent had delayed but we are committed to pay it as government,” Dr Muyingo said.

The minister said while the teachers’ demands were justified, it was wrong for the union to mobilise all teachers, including non-members to strike. He gave an example of Luweero where he said the district has 1,600 teachers but only 600 are Unatu members.
“I request parents to send children to school ready to start the term. I also request the teachers to turn up and teach so that they do not hurt the innocent pupils,” Mr Muyingo appealed.

Honoured pledge
In June 2014, government honoured their 2011 pledge to increase teachers’ salaries after a year of disappointment. Then Finance minister Maria Kiwanuka allocated Shs1.699.4 trillion to education sector to enhance the quality of education. Out of this, Shs215 billion went to meet the teachers’ pay rise promised in 2011 following an industrial action after government could not meet their demand of 100 per cent salary increment. The salary increment was to be done in three consecutive years at 15 per cent, 20 per cent and 15 per cent.

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