Makerere staff threaten strike as police disperses meeting

The meeting, which was to be held by the Joint Staff Associations of Makerere University, aimed to address concerns over the university's failure to harmonise staff salaries, despite the government’s allocation of UGX 12.6 billion for this purpose.

The staff members in their umbrella bodies, MUASA, MASA and NUEI warned in a press statement, of “inevitable unrest when disgruntled staff withdraw their labour.”

On 11th September 2024, the staff had written to the Chairperson of the University Council, Lorna Magara, reminding her of various resolutions passed regarding salary harmonisation.

These resolutions included warnings of possible withdrawal of labour if the management did not act to finalise the harmonisation, as had been repeatedly promised.

Despite staff from other public universities receiving harmonised salaries, the Makerere University staff have not seen the same adjustments. The staff noted several key issues:

1. Harmonised salaries were not paid by the end of September as the university’s management had pledged.
2. The majority of staff salaries remain unadjusted.
3. Letters received by some staff members suggest they have been effectively demoted due to the new harmonisation structure.
4. Other staff members have received letters that only specify new salary scales but do not provide actual figures.

The General Assembly's primary objective was to discuss this pressing state of affairs. In their press statement, the staff took strong exception to what they view as management’s failure to implement the full salary harmonisation, despite the government releasing adequate funds for this purpose. They also expressed their discontent with the halting of their General Assembly, deeming it a violation of Article 29 of the Constitution, Article 68 of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001, as well as core labour standards outlined by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Moreover, they criticised the resulting "toxic working environment" and the infringement of employees' rights.

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Museveni called to intervene

In response to these grievances, the staff have appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the Visitor of Makerere University, to use his authority to address the issue. They seek the President's intervention to ensure that Makerere University's management fully harmonises staff salaries and establishes equitable employment systems across public universities. This, they argue, will prevent potential unrest if disgruntled staff proceed with their intention to withdraw their labour.

The statement concluded with a call for harmonious resolution to the issues at hand, reaffirming their commitment to building for the future while highlighting the urgency for a solution.