One of the locked gates at Makerere University during the ongoing strike.
Kampala. The strike by public universities’ non-teaching staff yesterday entered day-two with the group leaders warning of going to court to seek redress. The strike started on Monday with members protesting low pay.
“We intend to sue government for discrimination on salary enhancement and this is to come after we have waited for long and our demand is not heeded to yet,” Mr Jackson Betihamah, one of the members, said
“But before we consider our second alternative, we are to stick to our ground of laying down tools until our salary is increased,” he added
Mr Betihamah further said they are awaiting negotiations with government but as of yesterday, had not received any intervention nor a call for dialogue.
The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) also resolved to give moral support to the public universities’ non-teaching staff on their strike.
Unatu with them
“We are giving them moral support because we share their salary increment grievance. Giving a salary increment to one group of people (teaching staff) and leaving out the other is a form of segregation,” Ms Margaret Rwabushaija, the Unatu national chairperson, said.
At Mbarara university, work was on standstill since gates were locked and no non-teaching staff showed up for duty.
“Except for the vice chancellor, his secretary and the office attendant but the rest of the non-teaching staff were not allowed on Monday. The gates were closed but police broke them and took over the university,” Mr Patrick Twesigye, a member of Mbarara university non-teaching staff, said.
The striking staff had suggested to the Minister of Education, Ms Jessica Alupo, to use the supplementary budget in order to meet their salary increment but the minister declined.
“She dismissed our suggestion, saying the law prohibited unnecessary spending of the supplementary budget, ” Mr Micheal Elabu, a Kyambogo University non-teaching staff member, claimed.
The Ministry of Education spokesperson, Mr Patrick Muinda, declined to comment on the matter.
“We are giving them moral support because we share their salary increment grievance. Giving a salary increment to one group of people (teaching staff) and leaving out the other is a form of segregation,” Ms Margaret Rwabushaija, the Unatu national chairperson, said.
At Mbarara university, work was on standstill since gates were locked and no non-teaching staff showed up for duty.
“Except for the vice chancellor, his secretary and the office attendant but the rest of the non-teaching staff were not allowed on Monday. The gates were closed but police broke them and took over the university,” Mr Patrick Twesigye, a member of Mbarara university non-teaching staff, said.
The striking staff had suggested to the Minister of Education, Ms Jessica Alupo, to use the supplementary budget in order to meet their salary increment but the minister declined.
“She dismissed our suggestion, saying the law prohibited unnecessary spending of the supplementary budget, ” Mr Micheal Elabu, a Kyambogo University non-teaching staff member, claimed.
The Ministry of Education spokesperson, Mr Patrick Muinda, declined to comment on the matter.
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