NOTU is both conservative and politically motivated!
Oct 27, 2004
Large sums of workers’ savings have continued getting lost in the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) despite the membership of top National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) officials like Mr. Ongaba Otong and Mr. David Nkojo!
By Apollo Nyangasi
Large sums of workers’ savings have continued getting lost in the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) despite the membership of top National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) officials like Mr. Ongaba Otong and Mr. David Nkojo!
Many workers are dying at building sites and others are electrocuted. The question is where is the workers’ voice? Who should plead for these unfortunate workers being terrorised by highly profit-driven investors or employers? Currently, five MPs are elected through NOTU as an Electoral College, with membership below 50,000, a ratio of one MP for only 10,000 NOTU members! This possibly explains the confusion which has riddled NOTU and some trade unions in Uganda. it is a life or death situation.
The ill-conceived and politically motivated attempt by the conservative NOTU framework to try to recall Dr. Sam Lyomoki from Parliament is purely based on jealous and intrigue from the non-performing leadership.
Lyomoki’s support for the transfer of the NSSF management from the incompetent Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, has greatly angered the Labour and NOTU officials.
The big question for debate by Ugandan workers is whether NOTU leadership has any moral authority by preferring to recall Lyomoki instead of addressing the myriads of problems facing workers.
Secondly, does it still make sense for five MPs to come from NOTU with a meagre membership of 50,000? How about the public officers and informal economy workers? Workers have become endangered species simply because NOTU leadership has been compromised by the ministry of labour officials and the big employers in town.
Summary dismissal of workers is very common. Fortunately, there has emerged a new vibrant labour centre called the Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions (COFTU) which looks more promising and contemporary in approach to workers issues. The monopoly created by the Trade Unions Decree, 1976 in favour of NOTU by Idi Amin’s government has been overtaken by the 1995 Constitution.
Ugandan workers, including public officers and the informal economy workers are now free to form or join trade unions of their choice without interference by labour officials.
The writer is the National Chairman, Uganda Medical Workers Union and director of Planning and Development, COFTU
Ends
Large sums of workers’ savings have continued getting lost in the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) despite the membership of top National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) officials like Mr. Ongaba Otong and Mr. David Nkojo!
Many workers are dying at building sites and others are electrocuted. The question is where is the workers’ voice? Who should plead for these unfortunate workers being terrorised by highly profit-driven investors or employers? Currently, five MPs are elected through NOTU as an Electoral College, with membership below 50,000, a ratio of one MP for only 10,000 NOTU members! This possibly explains the confusion which has riddled NOTU and some trade unions in Uganda. it is a life or death situation.
The ill-conceived and politically motivated attempt by the conservative NOTU framework to try to recall Dr. Sam Lyomoki from Parliament is purely based on jealous and intrigue from the non-performing leadership.
Lyomoki’s support for the transfer of the NSSF management from the incompetent Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, has greatly angered the Labour and NOTU officials.
The big question for debate by Ugandan workers is whether NOTU leadership has any moral authority by preferring to recall Lyomoki instead of addressing the myriads of problems facing workers.
Secondly, does it still make sense for five MPs to come from NOTU with a meagre membership of 50,000? How about the public officers and informal economy workers? Workers have become endangered species simply because NOTU leadership has been compromised by the ministry of labour officials and the big employers in town.
Summary dismissal of workers is very common. Fortunately, there has emerged a new vibrant labour centre called the Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions (COFTU) which looks more promising and contemporary in approach to workers issues. The monopoly created by the Trade Unions Decree, 1976 in favour of NOTU by Idi Amin’s government has been overtaken by the 1995 Constitution.
Ugandan workers, including public officers and the informal economy workers are now free to form or join trade unions of their choice without interference by labour officials.
The writer is the National Chairman, Uganda Medical Workers Union and director of Planning and Development, COFTU
Ends