The chairman general of National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU), Usher Wilson Owere has cautioned employers against laying off workers during this lockdown without a common understanding with their workers.
Speaking to the media at the weekend Owere said this is the most difficult time where employers should stand with their workers other than terminating them unfairly due to financial constraints.
“If the employers continue firing workers without any reasons, we are going to take them on. We are going to take them lawfully and other actions shall be taken and lawfully. We have already assembled lawyers who are ready to help in defending these workers at all cost,”he said.
He noted that at such a terrible time, employers should instead support their workers with the little they have other than sending them off.
“I also want to warn them that when this Covid-19 was starting, we had a meeting with Federation of Uganda Employers, ministry of Gender and Social Development and with leaders of workers and agreed that at this time , no employer should fire a worker. They can only reach an agreement,”he added.
Some companies have advised their workers to use their money sparingly since there is no likelihood that salaries will be available during this period while others have gone ahead to lay off their workers.
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