Professors at public universities in Uganda have threatened to go on strike if the government fails to implement a presidential directive to increase the salaries of faculty members at the institutions.
According to an April 25 letter from the Union of Academic Professionals and University Professionals (UPASU) to the Minister for Public Service, government officials were given three months (from May 1 to August 1) to increase teachers’ salaries to 100 percent.
“The academic staff have been patient since 2015 when the first presidential directive was issued and 2019 when the second presidential directive was issued. The staff have endured the negative effects of the unfair salary enhancement that neglect majority of academic staff. We are left with no option but to go on strike,” Prof Kituyi Mayoka, the union’s national chairperson, said in a letter seen by Monitor.
The salary increase for teachers has not yet been implemented.
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President Yoweri Museveni promised a pay rise for faculty members at public universities in 2015 that would see a professor earn Ush15 million (about $4,000) and a senior professor Ush12.2 million ($3,300).
The government decided to implement the directive gradually over a period of five years. However, in fiscal year 2020/2021, the state released BRL 50 billion that only benefited professors and assistant professors who received a 100% salary increase (BRL 15 million).
“Although there have been several follow-up actions on this matter with his office and while the matter was raised at the Civil Service Negotiation and Consultation Council meeting on February 17, no amicable resolution was reached,” Mr. Mayoka said.
He added: “Faculty members of public universities must retire from their work by August 1st. This is in accordance with Annex 4, Section 2(a) of the Mechanisms for Negotiation, Consultation and Settlement of Civil Service Disputes 2008.”
Public universities begin their academic years in August. So if workers continue to strike, the first semester of the 2023/2024 academic year will be interrupted.
