The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has suspended its ongoing industrial action as the union awaits a substantive response from government regarding long-standing salary enhancement commitments.
Speaking during NBS Morning Breeze on Monday, UNATU General Secretary Filbert Baguma Bates reiterated the union’s position and emphasized that teachers are currently supervising national examinations.
“Our industrial action is on suspension. We are supervising exams as we wait for a substantive response from government,” Baguma said.
Baguma defended the union’s actions, noting that teachers have upheld their end of previously negotiated agreements, and the government must now deliver on its commitments.
“When we (teachers) sit and agree, but government fails to implement what was agreed, it is not us who are dishonest,” he said.
Baguma stressed that constructive engagement between the government and the teaching workforce cannot cease until all obligations are fully met.
“As long as there are unfulfilled obligations between employer and employees, engagement can never stop.”
According to Baguma, salary enhancement remains the core issue affecting teacher motivation and service delivery, asserting that investments in infrastructure alone cannot substitute fair compensation.
“Even if you build classrooms and houses, but teachers are underpaid, you haven’t solved the problem. Salary is the foundation of a motivated teacher.”
He further highlighted the socio-economic pressures teachers face, urging the government to honor its commitments so educators can focus on shaping Uganda’s next generation.
“Teachers have lives and families to take care of. Once you address their pay, they can concentrate on their work rather than constantly calling for salary reviews.”
On September 15, UNATU declared a nationwide strike over persistent salary disparities after what Baguma described as three years of fruitless dialogue with the government.
The union instructed teachers to stay away from classrooms until a credible wage enhancement plan was presented.
The last major strike by UNATU took place in 2022, ending after a meeting with President Museveni, during which government pledged to prioritize salary increments for science teachers, with further negotiations promised for arts teachers and other education staff.
While the union suspended that strike to allow continued dialogue, Baguma said no meaningful progress has been realized since then.