Workers’ Union drags govt to court

Local government employees under the Uganda Local Government Workers Union have run to court over what they termed as injustice for their members due to irregularities in their salaries caused by the automated payment system.

Complainants say the system has brought about inadequacies in their salary structures, leading to salary pay cuts over unclear reasons. 

The new payment system being piloted in selected districts across the country is dubbed “Human Capital Management System.”

Now, through their lawyers Mungona, Mabonga, Wakhakha, and Co. Advocates, local government staff want court to declare government’s actions illegal and unconstitutional. 

They also want the government to show its basis for the claim that the services offered by scientists are superior to those of nonscientists, among others.

 Addressing journalists in Kampala, Mr Hassan Mudiba Lubyayi, the Union’s Secretary-General noted that the payment system reduced salaries of cold chain officers and their assistants by placing them under administration, in spite of them being under the district health officers on appointment. 

“We demand that an order for payment of salary arrears to all affected members of the union whose salaries were reduced without administrative due process and all those who are be- ing paid a lower scale contrary to ap- pointment letters be issued to that effect,” Lwabayi said.

Written by Mike Sebalu