Local govt workers petition over pay
THE National Union of Local Government Workers has petitioned the Government to develop a criterion for equitably allocating salaries in the public service sector.
By Milton Olupot
THE National Union of Local Government Workers has petitioned the Government to develop a criterion for equitably allocating salaries in the public service sector.
The petition, which was addressed to the Prime Minister and copied to President Yoweri Museveni and other government officials, notes that there is salary discrimination in the sectors, with the local government most affected.
“We request you to propel the Government to address the issues urgently as matters raised are peculiar to local government workers in order to balance with other sectors of the public service.â€
The workers have given an ultimatum within which the matter should be sorted out.
“If we do not hear from you three months from now, we shall have no option, but to resort to another course of action,†the workers warned.
In the petition of July 13, 2011, which was signed by the union general secretary Hassan Mudiba Lwabayi, members called for immediate action, saying the issue had affected workers’ performance.
“Owing to the deteriorating economic situation in Uganda, the cost of living has risen to unbearable levels. The changes in consumer indices have affected our members’ ability to meet their basic needs.
“This is evident from the relations between money wages and the prices of food, transport, medical care, clothing, education and other necessities that wage earners can no longer afford,†the petition noted.
According to the petition, the wage compression ratio between the highest and the lowest government worker is very big, yet their salaries are drawn from the consolidated fund.
This, according to the petition, indicates unrational distribution of the Government wage bill among various sectors.
According to the petition, the policy, which provides for some sectors to determine their salary levels while others continue to be suppressed, is discriminative.
“This is contrary to Article 40 (1) (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda which provides for “equal pay for equal work without discriminationâ€
The petition notes that Government’s refusal to fix a minimum wage for Ugandan workers when there are no effective structures for collective bargaining, puts workers’ interests at stake.
The workers demand that Government makes immediate wage adjustments to mitigate the high cost of living through either basic salary levels or separate cost of living.
They suggested that scale U8 to U5, which earns between sh118,615 to sh285, 160, be added on sh368,000. Scale U4 to U2, which earns between sh513,880 to sh775,675, be added on sh520,000, while Scale U1E to U1S, which earns between sh1,164,043 to sh2,665,760, be added on sh735,000.
They demand that Government raises the PAYE threshold from sh130,000 to sh500,000.
They also want the Government to make regular adjustments in salary payments in consonance with the national income and the inflation rate
Workers also want the Government to formulate a uniform salary structure among various sectors, including the elected leaders (politicians) and appointed government workers.
The group wants the Government to fix a minimum wage of sh250,000.
THE National Union of Local Government Workers has petitioned the Government to develop a criterion for equitably allocating salaries in the public service sector.
The petition, which was addressed to the Prime Minister and copied to President Yoweri Museveni and other government officials, notes that there is salary discrimination in the sectors, with the local government most affected.
“We request you to propel the Government to address the issues urgently as matters raised are peculiar to local government workers in order to balance with other sectors of the public service.â€
The workers have given an ultimatum within which the matter should be sorted out.
“If we do not hear from you three months from now, we shall have no option, but to resort to another course of action,†the workers warned.
In the petition of July 13, 2011, which was signed by the union general secretary Hassan Mudiba Lwabayi, members called for immediate action, saying the issue had affected workers’ performance.
“Owing to the deteriorating economic situation in Uganda, the cost of living has risen to unbearable levels. The changes in consumer indices have affected our members’ ability to meet their basic needs.
“This is evident from the relations between money wages and the prices of food, transport, medical care, clothing, education and other necessities that wage earners can no longer afford,†the petition noted.
According to the petition, the wage compression ratio between the highest and the lowest government worker is very big, yet their salaries are drawn from the consolidated fund.
This, according to the petition, indicates unrational distribution of the Government wage bill among various sectors.
According to the petition, the policy, which provides for some sectors to determine their salary levels while others continue to be suppressed, is discriminative.
“This is contrary to Article 40 (1) (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda which provides for “equal pay for equal work without discriminationâ€
The petition notes that Government’s refusal to fix a minimum wage for Ugandan workers when there are no effective structures for collective bargaining, puts workers’ interests at stake.
The workers demand that Government makes immediate wage adjustments to mitigate the high cost of living through either basic salary levels or separate cost of living.
They suggested that scale U8 to U5, which earns between sh118,615 to sh285, 160, be added on sh368,000. Scale U4 to U2, which earns between sh513,880 to sh775,675, be added on sh520,000, while Scale U1E to U1S, which earns between sh1,164,043 to sh2,665,760, be added on sh735,000.
They demand that Government raises the PAYE threshold from sh130,000 to sh500,000.
They also want the Government to make regular adjustments in salary payments in consonance with the national income and the inflation rate
Workers also want the Government to formulate a uniform salary structure among various sectors, including the elected leaders (politicians) and appointed government workers.
The group wants the Government to fix a minimum wage of sh250,000.