"The Workers MP, Mr Charles Bakkabulindi, said that he met with the 1,153 girls working at the Tri-Star Apparels factory in Bugolobi and they complained of poor treatment by their employer. The girls also complained about working 13 hours a day contrary to the labour laws."
That is AGOA... YOU HAVEN'T SEEN NOTHING YET ( like Americans would say)
MPs accuse investors of harassing workers
By Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda
July 9, 2003
Investors are harassing their workers and draining Uganda’s economy. According to Members of Parliament, who on Monday were debating the recent Budget speech by the Minister of Finance, Mr Gerald Ssendaula, many investors abuse their workers and repatriate all the profits.
The Workers MP, Mr Charles Bakkabulindi, said that he met with the 1,153 girls working at the Tri-Star Apparels factory in Bugolobi and they complained of poor treatment by their employer. The girls also complained about working 13 hours a day contrary to the labour laws.
The girls are only allowed to visit the toilet on a timetable, the MP said.
Tri-Star Apparels makes textiles for export to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
“Even Uganda Revenue Authority [URA] staff are treated like casual labourers. They have no terminal benefits and are on temporary contracts,” Mr James Kakooza (Kabula) interjected.
Bakkabulindi said that the workers of the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company are not protected.
For example, two of the firm’s technicians were electrocuted in Kajjansi on Entebbe Road on Sunday.
But the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana, objected, saying that there are sufficient laws to protect workers.
Mwenge South MP, Ms Dora Byamukama, said that the labour laws are archaic. She cited the Shs 6,000 the law sets as the minimum wage.
Byamukama is the chairwoman of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee.
MPs Ssebuliba Mutumba (Kawempe South), Odonga Otto (Aruu) and Charles Byaruhanga (Kibaale) asked government to stop giving investors preferential treatment at the expense of the citizens.
Byaruhanga criticised the government for raising taxes on essential commodities including fuel.
Budadiri West MP, Mr Nandala Mafabi, said that higher fuel prices are having a negative multiplier effect on the whole economy.
