A Critical Analysis of the Rights of Workers in Uganda in The Context of Labour Laws

AMPAIRWE RACHEAL 81 PAGES (25693 WORDS) Law Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS

D ECLARA Tl ON ................................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL ......................................................................................................................... i i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................... iii

DEDICA Tl ON ..................................................................................................................... i v

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................... vi

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ix

CHAPTER 0 NE ...................................................................................................................... 1

INTR 0 D U CTI 0 N .................................................................................................................... 1

1. I Conceptual Framework of Labor Rights .......................................................................... I

I .2 Background of the study .................................................................................................. 2

I .3 Statement of the problem ................................................................................................. 2 . . .

1.4 Objectives of the study .................................................................................................... 3

1.5 Research Methodology .................................................................................................... 3

I .6 Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 3

1.7 The Legal Framework ..................................................................................................... 6

I .8 Structure of the Directorate of Labour ............................................................................. 8

CHAPTER TW 0 ..................................................................................................................... 9

THE RIG liT TO W 0 RK ........................................................................................................ 9

2.0 In trod n ctio n ........................................................ ~ ............. , .......................................... ,.., .... 9

2.1. Unemployment and underemployment ......................................................................... I 0

2.2 Youth unemployment .................................................................................................... 13

2.3 Decreasing the Mandatory Retirement Age of Civil Servants ........................................ 13

2.4 The Industrial Processing Venture Capital Fund ............................................................ 14

2.5 Joint Youth Venture Capital Fund ................................................................................. I 5

vi

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................... 16

UNION REGISTRATION AND RECOGNITION ............................................................ 16

3.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... l6

3.1 Registration, The right to form a Trade Union ............................................................... 17

3.2 Recruitment: The Right to Join a Trade Union .............................................................. 20

3.3. Right to Recognition & Collective Bargaining ................. , ......................................... _. .. ,. 22

3.4. The right to withdraw labour ........................................................................................ 24

CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................................. 26

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ........................................................................................... 26

4.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 26

4.1 The contract of employment.. ........................................................................................ 27

4.2. Equal pay for equal work ............................................................................................. 27

4.3. Reasonable working hours and adequate rest.. .............................................................. 29

4.4. Wrongful dismissal ..................................................................................................... , .. 32

4.5. Foreign Investors .......................................................................................................... 35

4.6. Minimum Wage ........................................................................................................... 36

4.7 Occupational Safety and Health .................................................................................... 38

4.7.1 .................................................................................................................................... 38

4.7.2 Preventive measures ................................................................................................... 39

4.7.3 Liability and compensation for workplace injuries ...................................................... 45

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................... 49

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECCOMMENDATIONS ................................. :.:: . .49

5.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 49

5.2 Recommendations: ........................................................................................................ 50

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 54

ABSTRACT There was need and desire to advocate for the employees' rights, which include right to leave and to improve their working conditions among others. There was a desire to see to it that Employees have freedom of expression and association, reasonable remuneration and allowed to freely participate in other social activities like religious practices, politics and leisure. The study was also motivated toward building a mutual understanding between employers and employees and amongst the Employees themselves. Combinations of qualitative and quantitative methods have been applied and data collected via interviews, questionnaires, observation and literatures review. The study relied on both secondary sources and government publications related to economic policy and labour rights. . - ,·. Data was summarized and coded into themes and sub-themes from which conclusions and recommendations were drawn. Among the many peculiar findings included the ignorance of employee's rights to leave, to join labour unions. The study recommended that labour laws and Employees' rights be respected, empower labour courts, rights of employees should be respected and employees should use the in accordance with the law, revival and affiliation of Employees' associations, complying with the !LO standards, consideration of casual Employees in the labour laws, and check on the government policies. Finally, the study affirmed that through collective responsibility, that the plight of Employees can be solved. It is against this well-known fact established in the findings that this study reviews and gives recommendations to the plight of Employees.