Medics warn of strike
Feb 27, 2004
HEALTH workers have said they will go on a nationwide strike if the Government does not effect their promised pay rise within one month
By Felix Osike
HEALTH workers have said they will go on a nationwide strike if the Government does not effect their promised pay rise within one month.
In a statement issued yesterday, the chairperson of the Uganda Medical Workers Union (UMWU), Apollo Nyangasi, said the Ministry of public service had ignored President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to raise their pay.
“The union has tried its best to persuade health workers to be patient on the trust that the directive from the president would be honoured, but all indications show otherwise. Because of this state of affairs, UMWU national executive council has yielded to the pressure from the workers to go on strike,†the statement read.
After meeting the health workers’ representatives on December 18, 2003, President Museveni directed the ministry to increase their salaries accordingly.
However, Nyangasi said UMWU had convinced workers to respect the month-long deadline.
“As UMWU leaders, we are committed to fighting for the rights of workers and patients.
“Therefore, we call upon Government not to endanger the population by refusing to pay workers what is due to them,†he said.
The resolution says if the workers’ salary increases are not reflected in the March 2004 payroll with arrears since July 2003, they would go on strike on April 2.
UMWU wants a medical officer’s sh546,000 salary revised to about sh1.5m and that of a registered nurse of sh200,000 be raised to sh550,000.
HEALTH workers have said they will go on a nationwide strike if the Government does not effect their promised pay rise within one month.
In a statement issued yesterday, the chairperson of the Uganda Medical Workers Union (UMWU), Apollo Nyangasi, said the Ministry of public service had ignored President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to raise their pay.
“The union has tried its best to persuade health workers to be patient on the trust that the directive from the president would be honoured, but all indications show otherwise. Because of this state of affairs, UMWU national executive council has yielded to the pressure from the workers to go on strike,†the statement read.
After meeting the health workers’ representatives on December 18, 2003, President Museveni directed the ministry to increase their salaries accordingly.
However, Nyangasi said UMWU had convinced workers to respect the month-long deadline.
“As UMWU leaders, we are committed to fighting for the rights of workers and patients.
“Therefore, we call upon Government not to endanger the population by refusing to pay workers what is due to them,†he said.
The resolution says if the workers’ salary increases are not reflected in the March 2004 payroll with arrears since July 2003, they would go on strike on April 2.
UMWU wants a medical officer’s sh546,000 salary revised to about sh1.5m and that of a registered nurse of sh200,000 be raised to sh550,000.