NOTU gets new leaders, wants court judgment on rights of workers overturned

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Following years of bitter infighting at the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU), Chairman General Usher Wilson Owere has relinquished the reigns of power.

The development has seen the election of the body's new executives during the 10^th NOTU congress at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

During the elections, Musa Okello gained the chairman general docket unopposed.

According to Okello, his priority is to appeal the Supreme Court ruling empowering employers to fire employees without prior notice.

“We have prepared an appeal. It is unconstitutional and abuses the workers' rights and freedom of association. We can not allow workers to be unprotected. We are also going to train and recruit workers and expand NOTU. That is what makes the union strong” Okello said.

Owere said: “I’m leaving but I’m going to keep a close eye on the going ons of NOTU and act as the inspector general of the plight of workers,” Owere said.

The duo referred to the Court of Appeal; Civil Appeal No. 182 of 2021; Stanbic Bank (Uganda) Limited vs Nassanga Saphinah Kasule in which the Court reaffirmed an employer's unrestricted right to terminate the employment relationship by providing notice or payment in lieu of notice.

Background 

The Respondent was employed by the Bank and on February 15, 2001. The employment contract stipulated that either party could terminate the contract upon issuance of the requisite notice or payment in lieu of notice. Pursuant to this clause, the Bank terminated the Respondent.

She challenged the termination before the Industrial Court, which held among other things that the termination was unlawful as no reason was prescribed and no disciplinary hearing was accorded to the Respondent.

She was awarded sh65 million as general damages.