The Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU) has called off its nationwide strike following assurances from Speaker of Parliament Anita Among that she will engage the government to resolve salary disparities and welfare concerns affecting local government employees.
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In a statement, the union said it had agreed to suspend the industrial action for three months starting midnight, Monday, October 13, to allow for dialogue with the government.
“Much as it was contentious, we agreed to stay the industrial action for a period of three months to give dialogue a chance,” said Hassan Lwabayi Mudiba, the union’s General Secretary.
The decision followed the union’s petition to the Speaker of Parliament, submitted under Article 79(1) of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to make laws for peace, order, and good governance.
The petition highlighted salary disparities across government sectors, gaps in the administrative framework, and the Ministry of Local Government’s failure to implement the Local Governments Act (Cap 93).
The union also proposed the creation of a National Local Governments Day to promote interaction between local government workers and policymakers in addressing the challenges facing the sector.
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Despite the government allocating Shs8.55 trillion for the national wage bill in the 2025/2026 financial year an increase of Shs724.7 billion from the previous year the union noted that salaries for local government workers under the unconditional grant–wage remained stagnant.
For instance, the U8 salary scale still stands at Shs187,660 per month, while the U1SE scale remains at Shs1,589,451, figures the union described as “not commensurate with the cost of living.”
A comparative salary breakdown presented to the Speaker showed that local government employees earn significantly less than their counterparts in other sectors such as medical scientists, public universities, the Civil Aviation Authority, and the National Planning Authority.
The union cited Article 40(1)(b) of the Constitution, which guarantees economic rights and equal pay for equal work without discrimination, as the legal basis for its demand for salary harmonisation across public service sectors.
In her response, Speaker Among acknowledged the legitimacy of the workers’ concerns and reaffirmed their constitutional right to strike under Article 40(3)(c).
She, however, urged the union to suspend its strike to allow her to engage with relevant government authorities to ensure that salary enhancement and administrative reforms are captured in the Budget Framework Paper for FY2026/2027.
The union warned that if no tangible progress is made within the agreed three-month dialogue period, the strike will resume indefinitely.
“In case we do not see any positive progress, local government workers shall be left with no option but to resume their industrial action indefinitely,” Mudiba stated.
The suspended strike comes amid growing pressure from civil servants, including teachers and health workers, who have continued to demand fair pay in line with Uganda’s rising cost of living.
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