Cheap labour is preferred to skilled professionals
Jun 07, 2011
EDITOR: I wish to congratulate Dr Margaret Kigozi for the initiative taken by the Uganda Investment Authority to license more foreign and local investors.
EDITOR: I wish to congratulate Dr Margaret Kigozi for the initiative taken by the Uganda Investment Authority to license more foreign and local investors.
That is great. However, there are some problems in the licensing process. Uganda has about 12 fully operating fish processing and exporting factories.
These earn the economy a lot of revenue.
Thanks to the Government, fisheries and aquaculture graduates are also many on the market. But how many of these graduates are employed in these factories?
The factories prefer cheap unskilled labourers to professionals! These firms have very high profit margins thanks to our devoted effort and hard work as loyal employees. We do more work for less pay! It is clear we are being marginalised. A fisheries andaquaculture graduate earns a net salary of about sh250,000 a month! That is the same salary as that of a Grade III primary school teacher.
These graduates have no privileges like medical insurance, housing or transport allowance. How will our children go to school? How will they get treatment when they fall sick? Requesting for salary increment has often earned us hatred from top management.
We request the ministry concerned to investigate what is happening and save the voiceless. The Government should at least help out by working out a sensible minimum wage.
As citizens, we feel betrayed and ignored.
It seems that most if not all current labour laws are in favour of the employer in this country!
We have our backs against the wall. Please help.
Name withheld
That is great. However, there are some problems in the licensing process. Uganda has about 12 fully operating fish processing and exporting factories.
These earn the economy a lot of revenue.
Thanks to the Government, fisheries and aquaculture graduates are also many on the market. But how many of these graduates are employed in these factories?
The factories prefer cheap unskilled labourers to professionals! These firms have very high profit margins thanks to our devoted effort and hard work as loyal employees. We do more work for less pay! It is clear we are being marginalised. A fisheries andaquaculture graduate earns a net salary of about sh250,000 a month! That is the same salary as that of a Grade III primary school teacher.
These graduates have no privileges like medical insurance, housing or transport allowance. How will our children go to school? How will they get treatment when they fall sick? Requesting for salary increment has often earned us hatred from top management.
We request the ministry concerned to investigate what is happening and save the voiceless. The Government should at least help out by working out a sensible minimum wage.
As citizens, we feel betrayed and ignored.
It seems that most if not all current labour laws are in favour of the employer in this country!
We have our backs against the wall. Please help.
Name withheld