Uganda Unions Unite to Advance Decent Work and Transparency in Uganda’s Public Services
Participants at the national planning meeting in Kampala, Uganda on 18-19 March 2025 PSI, in collaboration with DGB Bildungswerk, convened a successful national planning meeting in Kampala, bringing together three major Ugandan unions to accelerate the implementation of the regional project: “Promoting Transparency and Decent Work in Supply Chains in Electricity, Water and Waste Services in Sub-Saharan Africa – Phase II.”
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The unions—Uganda Electricity and Allied Workers Union (UEAWU), Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU), and Uganda Public Employees Union (UPEU)—gathered to assess sector-specific progress, challenges, and chart actionable priorities for 2025. The planning session fostered strong inter-union collaboration and alignment with PSI’s broader results framework on workplace transparency and human rights due diligence.
In the electricity sector, the unions voiced serious concerns over staff uncertainty following the end of UMEME’s concession and the takeover by UEDCL. Over 500 workers face unclear futures, worsened by UMEME’s refusal to pay gratuity—now a subject of legal dispute. The union committed to active stakeholder engagement to ensure staff transition, fair treatment, and union survival.
ULGWU highlighted both progress and persistent gaps in the local government sector. Notably, KCCA has formalized contracts with SACCOs for waste worker payments, but the identity of the employer remains unresolved. Challenges like unpaid NSSF contributions, inadequate PPE, and the absence of contracts for individual waste workers persist. ULGWU pledged to escalate advocacy and conduct trainings to empower members.
The water sector, represented by UPEU, reported restructuring initiatives aimed at cutting employee costs—from 42% to a targeted 32–35%—which introduced part-time contracts for top management. While these reforms were limited to a small group, they sparked widespread uncertainty and a drop in union membership. The union resolved to address these challenges through staff engagement and capacity building.
As part of cross-cutting actions, all unions agreed to conduct a joint worksite visit to waste workers and a unified training on the United Nations and ILO Human Rights Due Diligence frameworks by mid-2025. These actions will reinforce solidarity and expand knowledge on workers’ rights in global supply chains.
This meeting reaffirmed PSI and its affiliates' commitment to decent work, fair policy reforms, and inclusive service delivery through strategic union collaboration and structured advocacy.
