By Nakato Hellen Musoke.
The struggle for salary pay rise of science teachers took a dramatic development with the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) joining the fight to demand for an all – inclusive salary enhancements for also arts teachers.
This follows industrial action spearheaded by Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union (UPSTU) which began May 9, 2022 demanding for Ushs 4m for science teachers holding University degrees and Ushs 3 m for diploma holders.
It is now clear the “cold war” that has been silently going on between antagonistic labour unions in the Education sector , UNATU and UPSTU, is now headed for full scale blast.
In a “militant” two – page statement to UNATU members dated May 12, 2022 and signed by UNATU General Secretary Mr Philbert Baguma, the union takes “ action against discriminatory salary enhancements in the public service and education sector.
“Since our inception, UNATU has always been consistent in the fight against segregated salary increments within the teaching profession because they are not only unfair but also unjustified”, said the statement..
Mr Baguma said in the Financial Year 2016/2017, Government effected a 15% salary increment but to only primary school teachers in the lowest category.
He said:” UNATU continued to negotiate and lobby Government for the payment of the same to teachers in the post-primary education sector”.
UNATU notes that in the Financial Year 2018/2019 as per the National budget, Government finally honored the earlier commitment of (20%) to teachers in the Post Primary Education sector. “ There was no increment for the other categories of teachers”,noted Mr Baguma.
During UNATU’s 13th Annual Delegates’ Conference held 11th -13th December 2017 in Arua, all teacher leaders unanimously resolved that the union officially reject any proposals of segregated teachers’ salary increment as this would create disunity.
Mr Baguma said all teachers deserve an increment as they all work under the same hard conditions but hastened to add that UNATU’s position remains unchanged to date.
UNATU gave notice to Government on 20th March 2018, saying teachers would go on industrial action effective 23rd June 2018 if Government went ahead to implement selective salary increments as was proposed by the Salary Harmonization Committee.
“The initial proposals for teachers’ salary increment by the Salary Harmonization Committee were very discriminative and only catered for a particular section of teachers,” said Mr Baguma.
The statement said on 12th April 2018, UNATU presented a joint petition to Parliament alongside other Public Service unions on the issue of salary enhancement. The petition and other series of negotiations led to UNATU and other Public Service Unions signing a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Government.
The agreement clearly highlighted the agreed upon salary enhancement for the subsequent years on 22nd June, 2018. But to their consternation and regrettably, government deliberately ignored the CBA which led to the teachers’ industrial action in 2019.
But after a series of negotiation meetings with Government, Ushs 135b was reallocated within the National Budget to cater for teachers’ salary enhancement across all subsectors in the Financial Year 2019/2020.
According to UNATU the Ministry of Public Service did the apportioning of the funds across the education sub-sectors and a supplementary salary structure was circulated.
Mr Baguma said after several reminders from UNATU, the CBA seems to have been completely abandoned and government is instead enhancing salaries haphazardly.
“The National Negotiating and Consultative Council is no longer functional deliberately”, he said.
Mr Baguma said under the prevailing economic situation where commodity and service prices are skyrocketing almost on a daily basis, all workers deserve salary enhancement.
“Doctors, nurses, other medical workers, teachers, Uganda Police Force, government workers among other categories, all work and live in the same environments.
He said: “Promising an increment to one category of workers without a grand enhancement plan for others is not only unfair, unjust but also unconstitutional.”
UNATU set two conditions for Government in order to have harmony in the teaching learning process saying any segregated increments to one section of teachers must automatically set the pace for all other categories of teachers.
They gave a situation where if Ushs 4 million is paid as the starting salary for graduates, it must be paid to all graduate teachers without discrimination of the level where one is serving.
“ Basing on the principle of equity and fairness, all those with the same qualifications should ideally earn within the same salary scale as clearly stipulated in the National Teachers Policy as approved by Cabinet on 1st April, 2019.
UNATU said in order maintain harmony within the teaching sector, government in consultation with the union should expeditiously work out a grand salary enhancement plan for all categories of teachers with clear timelines and salary structures.
He said:” Government should stop sacrificing the learners in salary enhancement dilemmas”
The union warned that short of satisfactorily meeting the conditions would result in all schools and education institutions being solely left in hands of those that government deems important.
UNATU calls upon all union leaders and members to remain calm with the assurance that matters concerning harmonization of salary increments within the teaching profession will be handled.
“ Our request is to keep alert and be ready for action when called upon”, said Mr Baguma.
But like a bolt from the blue Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union (UPSTU) Chairman Mr Vincent Elong castigated UNATU and its General Secretary for being saboteurs.
“UNATU, Philbert Baguma and other surrogates have launched a fresh campaign to knock down salary enhancement for scientists in education sector,” said UPSTU National Chairperson Mr Elong
He said UNATU letter follows the impact of the current industrial actions where government has decided to honour their pledge of Ushs 4M and Ushs 3 M to all science teachers in line with the Presidential directive and Cabinet resolution of August 24, 2021 ■
