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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Staff at Makerere University have agreed to temporarily halt their strike.
The decision was announced by Justine Namuddu, the acting Branch Secretary and National Organizing Secretary of the National Union of Educational Institutions (NUEI), following a Joint Staff Associations General Assembly held on Wednesday at Makerere.
The assembly, which included representatives from the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA), the Makerere Administrative Staff Association (MASA), and NUEI, was convened to determine the next steps after a meeting between university management and the Ministry of Public Service on Tuesday failed to yield success.
Namuddu explained that although the meeting at the Ministry of Public Service did not yield anything tangible the ministry and Makerere requested Staff to suspend the industrial action to allow negotiations to continue smoothly.
“Due to unfinished business, a committee was instituted to handle the pending concerns of staff on salary harmonization. The constituted committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the said staff concerns on salary harmonization,” reads part of Namuddu’s communique
During the general assembly, she explained, a letter from the Acting Vice Chancellor, dated October 16, 2024, was presented, reiterating the request for the strike’s suspension. Following this, the assembly resolved to temporarily call off the industrial action until Friday, October 25, 2024, pending further communication.
Part of the letter that the Acting Vice-Chancellor wrote to the joint staff associations indicates that a joint committee was established to address the staff’s concerns, and the minister of public service asked the staff to suspend the current withdrawal of labour action to allow for cordial dialogue and negotiations and ensure industrial harmony.
Namuddu assured staff members that the outcomes of the committee’s meeting with staff leaders would be reported at the next general assembly. This meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 25, 2024, when members will decide whether to resume the strike or continue working based on the progress made in the negotiations.
“Whatever resolutions the public service committee meeting will come up with on Tuesday, will be reported to the next General assembly which is scheduled for next Friday 25/10/2024. The committee report will guide the members in the General assembly to either appreciatively continue working, or resume the industrial action until their demands are met,” reads another part of Namuddu’s communication.
Makerere University staff started the industrial action last week to protest the institution’s failure to harmonize their salaries with those of staff at other public universities.
The striking staff argue that it is unjust for individuals with similar qualifications to receive vastly different salaries, with some Makerere staff earning only half of what their counterparts in other institutions are paid.
The staff in their 7th October 2024 letter which communicated their strike to the University Council Chairperson, accused the university management of failure to honor its commitment to pay harmonized salaries by September 2024 which they had agreed on two months back.
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