Trade Union movement: A good cause betrayed by self –seekers

Trade Union movement: A good cause betrayed by self –seekers

AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA

KAMPALA. Mr Paul Oketch  (not real name ) ,45 a worker at one of the Sugar manufacturing factories joined the labour union 10 years ago to enjoy  the benefits  of being unionized ( being protected from unfair practices such as poor pay and working conditions and  fair compensation in case he  becomes incapacitated or leaves the organisation ) .But for Oketch ,he has instead suffered  the worst like other workers who are not unionized .

He says, the union leaders who would have helped them fight exploitation of man by man they instead connive with the employers to make life harder for them. Mr Oketch says their plan to withdraw from the union, which deducts 3 percent of their monthly salary to facilitate its activities have also been frustrated by both the employer and union leaders.

“We are between a rock and a hard place and our leaders are simply there to amass wealth for themselves yet ordinary workers are suffering,” says Mr Oketch adding. “I even find no justification of deducting 3 percent from my monthly salary to facilitate a union which doesn’t help me .This is broad day thuggery!”

All unionized workers on sugar and tea plantations scribe to National Union of Plantation and Agricultural Workers of Uganda (NUPAW). But Mr Brono Pajobo, the secretary general NUPAWU says some union members speak ill of their leaders because the latter defeated them   in    elections. “We are making some visible strides but the people who accuse us of corruption, nonperformance have personal vendettas against some of us and we are unmoved by their allegations.”he says

  Mr Oketch is not alone in this boat. Thousands of workers whether unionized or not are silently being oppressed at work places but they fail to speak out because they are threatened with sacking by their employers .Despite their failure to safeguard the rights of workers, unions are also rocked by corruption and internal bickering which have crippled their normal operations thus failing them make a case for an estimated 300,000 civil servants and 11million private sector employees. Consequently, this has led to splinter groups that are defeating the desired teamwork spirit.

The Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions (Coftu) broke off from National Orgnasation in the run –up to the 2006 elections, following elections in NOTU in which Workers MP Dr Sam Lyomoku and Mr Christopher Kahirita emerged losers.

Later, the Confederation of Labour Unions (Colu) was also created by disgruntled unionists following another election in notu which was reportedly marred by irregularities and threw out the maverick former vice chairperson Irene Kaboole .This has deeply affected operations at lower level unions thus suppressing efforts to mobilise and recruit new members to effectively defend workers’ rights. At one point, Notu pushed for the deregistering of some unions under Coftu ; claiming that they were ‘a duplication’ of already existing ones under its fold. On top of internal bickering, unions are also dogged by massive corruption which has eaten deep into the “bone marrows” of many unions with leaders conniving with employers to suffocate the interests of workers.

“Some unions are employers unions not workers unions .How can you be entrusted with powers to fight for workers rights and instead take advantage of the disadvantaged (workers) to achieve your selfish interests?.I recently opened a war against such individuals and we shall get rid of such characters,” says Mr Stephen Baraza, One of labour unionist activities and general secretary Uganda Horticultural, Industrial, Service Providers and Allied Workers Union. He says it was worthless to celebrate the annual Labour Day when helpless workers are still being oppressed like it was before unions came in place. What is perplexing is that the little visible success by the labour movement one can talk of  today was actually registered between the mid 1960s and 1980s where union leaders then pressed government to introduce maternity leave, which was declared in 1968 after convincing president Idi  Amin to comply with  International Labour Organisation Convention on  Maternity Leave, which was provided for 45 days in 1972. They also advocated for creation of National Social Security Fund in April 1968 and Shs6, 000 per month as minimum wage in 1984.

But Dr Lyomoki , who is also Coftu  general secretary  says despite having internal bickering the current  labour movement leadership has  tried to deem its  image locally and internationally .

“As brothers of the same family, such misunderstands are inevitable but we believe in solidarity and it is through this that we have managed to achieve something,” he says

He cites the enactment of the National Employment Policy, securing workers’ representation on the National Social Security Fund board, and improving awareness about workers’ rights as some of the achievements they have registered.

“I don’t really think that there is any employer today who doesn’t know that mistreating workers is bad .We have done our part and what is lacking is taking action,” he says

He says the labour movement currently boasts of at least 1.3 million members up from 500 people, 10 years ago. Despite challenges still dogging the Ugadan labour movement , there is still room for   unions leaders to  redeem their  image by  borrowing a  leaf from their counter parties in South Africa ,Zimbabwe where unions truly  serve  the voiceless workers and this  has seen many of them raise from the shocking slave wages inherited from the exploitative colonial labour system .

Sidebar information:

Global trends indicate that the decline of trade unions is partly a reflection of how multinationals and financial institutions like World Bank and the International Monetary Fund impose conditions that render them useless. For Instance , since the 1980 when structural adjustment programmes were recommended for most developing countries ,part of the conditionality has included contractual placements in their labour markets which offer no chance for workers to become unionized . Therefore many still suffer under the rigid framework of Export Processing Zones ,which are controlled by multinationals that offer unfavouarable contracts shutting out labour unions .Such corporations are exempted from local employer legislation .Unfortunately , these governments readily turn a blind a eye to the horrible conditions in sweat shops created for mass production ,in the name of inviting foreign investors to create employment .

Things that still affect the Ugandan workers:

-Abusive language by Managers.
- Deductions on workers’ salaries for minor offences without their consent.

-Employers deducting NSSF savings without remitting it to the Fund
-Violation of collective agreements and labour laws by management.

-Absence of minimum wage to protect workers from exploitation.

- Unfair termination of services.

- Delay in solving grievance cases

-Lack of an industrial court which has denied complainants an effective remedy for labour related cases
-Obsolete terms and condition of services.

-Lowing the age of at which NSSF beneficiaries start receiving pension on attaining the age of 50 years for those who are unemployed and 55 years if employed