BACKGROUNDANDI

NTRODUCTI
ONTOLABOURLAW
GENERALI
NTRODUCTI
ONANDDEFI
NITI
ON
Ane mploymentcontr
a ctisa nagreeme ntbetweena ne mployera nda nempl oyeewa rranting
theemployeetoservet hee mployerbyr enderingse r
vicespersona l
lyforar e
mune rati
on.A
contr
actofemploymentc anbema deor all
yori nwr it
ingorbot ha nds omer easonablete r
ms
canbei mplie
di nthec ontr
actofe mpl oyme nt. Secti
on2oft heEmpl oyme ntAc t2006
defi
nesaContactofservicetome a
nac ontr
actwhe theroralorinwr it
ing,whe therexpres sor
impli
ed,whe r
eape r
sona greesinre t
urnf orr e
mune rati
on,towor kf ora ne mploye ra nd
incl
udesacontra
ctofa pprenti
ceshi
p.I nfact
,thel a
woft or
tsisappl i
cableine mployme ntla w
underpri
ncipl
esofne gligence,vic
ariousliabil
ityandot herbusine s
sr el
at
e dtorts.Thus ,the
lawgovernsacontr
actofe mpl oymenta ndbreachingitisacti
ona bleinthec ourt
sofl a
w.
LABOURLAW I
NUGANDA
Thel a
wr e lat
ingt oe mpl oyme nti nUga ndaisgove r
nedbyt hema j
ors ourcesofl awi n
Uga nda,whi chi nc l
udet heCons t
itut i
onoft heRe publi
cofUga nda1995a sAme nde d,Ac ts
ofPa rli
ame nt,CommonLa wa ndEqui t
y,Ca seLa wa ndinterna ti
onalConve ntions.I nfac t
,
thePr i
ma r
yl awsr elat
ingt oEmpl oyme nti nUgandai ncl
udeTheCons tit
utionoft here public
ofUga nda1995a sa mende d,Empl oyme ntAct2006,Pe nsionsAc tCa p286.TheGr atuity
Ac t
,TheNa t
iona lSoc ia
lSe curityFundAc t
,TheI ndustr
ialAc t,La bourUni onsAc t
,Tr ade
Disputes(Ar bit
r at
iona ndSe t
tleme nt)Ac t,Publi
cSe rvi
ceAc t2008.Oc c
upa t
ionalSa fetyand
He a
lthAc t,2006,TheMi nimum Wa gesBoa r
dsa ndWa gesCounc i
lAc t2000,La bour
Unions( Re gis
tra t
ion)Re g ula
tions2012,TheEmpl oyment(Se xua lHa ra
ssme nt)Re gulati
ons
2011,TheEmpl oyme nt( Empl oyme ntofChi l
dren)Re gulat
i ons2011,TheEmpl oyme nt
(RecruitmentofUga ndaMi gr antWor ke r
sAbr oad)Re gulat
ions2011.TheEa s
tAf ri
ca n
Treaty,TheEACCommonMa rke tProtocolandAnne xureonFr eeMove mentofLa bour,
ILO Conve nti
onsa ndot herl aws .Thus ,l a
bourl awi nUga ndai ss upportedbydi fferent
nati
ona la nd i nternati
ona lla ws ,whi c hc ompleme nteach ot herfort hebe tte
rme ntof
empl oymenti nt hec ount
r y.
THEDEVELOPMENTOFLABOURLAW I
NUGANDA.
Labourl a
wi nUga ndaor i
gina t
edfromt heUni tedKi ngdomana tionthatwa srespons i
blefor
thecoloniala
dmini s
tra
tionoft hec ountry.Not ably,thedesireoft hecolonialGove rnme ntto
developac ol
onia
lEc onomywa rr
ant e
de mpl oyme ntofna t
ionalsfromc oloni
a lUga nda.Mor e
even,theBr i
ti
sha dminist
rationde sir
e dtot axloc al
sinc oloni
a lUgandabuti tcoul dnotbe
possi
blewhe npe opl
ea r
eune mpl oyed.The r
ef or
,e mployme ntoppor t
uniti
esha dtobe
generate
d. Or i
ginall
y,e mpl oyme ntwa sinaf or m ofma st
er-ser
vantr el
ationship,whi ch
developedfromtheme die
va lages.Howe ver,thec apit
ali
stvictoryinWor l
dWa r2br oughta
tur
ningpointinlabourlawsi nUK,he rcoloniesandt hewor ldallover.
TI
MELI
NEFORTHEDEVELOPMENTOFLABOURLAW I
NUGANDA
1885TheUga
ndapr
ote
ctor
atei
sde
cal
edbyt
heUni
te
dKi
ngdom
1903Huttaxwasi
ntr
oducedre
qui
ri
n gever
yablebodiedma ntopayit
,whichaut
oma t
ica
lly
le
dtotheempl
oymentofabl
ebodi
edme ninemploymentandincomegene
r a
ti
ngprogra
mst o
paytheta
x.Not
ethatthos
ewhoa cqui
redper
ma nente
mpl oymentwer
ee xempt
edf r
om the
1
t
ax.
1909Pol
ltaxwasint
roduc
edandi
twa
simpos
edone
ver
yma
lea
dul
tbute
xempt
edt
hos
e
whowereexempt
edfr
omhutta
x.
1913TheMa st
erSe rvantOr dinancewa spa s
sedaddre
ssingc ontrac
tsofe mployme ntinthe
publica ndtheprivates ect
o randprovidedforpenal
ti
esforbrea chofcont ractofempl oyme nt
,
whic hincludedimpr i
s onme ntforonemont h,orpaymentofaf i
neorbot h.TheAc tprovided
fortwoof fencesna me lyclassone,whi chenta
ile
ddesert
ionfromwor ka ndi mprope rconduct
atwor k( useofa bus i
vel angua geandbr eachofpeace)
.Cl asst wor el
a te
dl ossofma st
er’
s
property,wi l
fuldrunke nne ssatwor k,fail
uretopaywa ge
s,wi thholdings ervant
spr oper
ty
afte
rc ontactofs ervice,fa il
uretop rovideemployeehousinga ndMe di careandf a i
lureto
reportthede at
hofas ervanttoama gi s
trat
einthearea
.Not ably,writte
nc ontr
actsc ouldnot
bee nforcedagainstil
litera
te s
.
1919Thef ir
stlabouroffi
cerwasa ppoint
edandwa sres
ponsi
blef
ortheregul
arflow of
labourtotheprivat
ea ndpubl
icsec
tor.Inaddit
ion,t
heof
fi
cerwasre
spons
ibl
eforadvoca
c y
forlabourtr
aini
nga ndgoodcondi
ti
onsofwor k.
1936TheEmpl oymentOr
dina
ncewa
spa
sse
d,wh
icha
bol
is
hedpe
nals
anc
ti
onsa
gai
nst
indi
genouswor
ker
s.
1937TradeUnionsOrdinanc
ewa spas
sedandrec
ogni
sedt
her
ightt
ofor
m uni
onsa
nd
provi
dedfort
hecompul
soryre
cogni
ti
onofuni
ons
.
1962Ugandaa
tt
ai
nsindepe
nde
nceandtheEmpl
oymentor
dinancei
sconve
rte
dintothe
Employme
ntActCap192,whi
chappl
ie
dt oe
mploye
esinprivat
ese
rvi
cebutnotpubl
ic
ser
vic
e.
1977TheEmpl oymentDecr
eec ome
sintolawc onsol
idat
inga lll
awsr el
at
ingtolabour
addr
essi
ngis
suesli
keempl
oymentofwomen,chi
ldr
en,conductofwork,hol
idayst
oworkers
anddaysofr
est
.Notabl
y,t
hedec
reewasconve
rte
dintotheEmpl oymentActCap219.
1995ThePromul
gat
ionofthe1995Const
it
uti
on,whichaddr
ess
edt
her
ight
sofwor
ker
s
unde
rArt
icl
e40andt
heri
ghttoas
soci
at
eunderArt
icl
e29.
2006TheEmploymentACTNo6of2006c omesintolawc onsol
ida
ti
ngmostpr
ovi
sions
rel
at
ingtoe
mployment,ad
opt
ingpr
inc
ipl
e si
ntheconsti
tut
ion,andaddr
ess
ingt
hepr
evi
ously
rec
ti
fie
dILOconvent
ionsine
ffe
ctr
epeal
ingtheEmploymentAc tCap219.
KEYASPECTSOFTHEEMPLOYMENTACT2006.
TheActisa
ppli
cabl
etoallpe
opl
eempl
oye
dinUga
ndawi
thl
imi
te
dappl
ic
ati
ont
ope
rsonsi
n
Nat
iona
lsecur
it
yfor
ces.
Le
aveofabs
encefors
ixda
ysinay
e a
rgr
ant
edtoanempl
oyeeforl
ossofafami
lyme mbe
r
ordepe
nda
ntrel
ati
ve.(
Amaximumof3da
ysabs
enc
eforasi
ngleocc
urr
enceofde
ath)
.
Pa
yme
ntofwa
gesofa
nempl
oye
ewi
thi
nse
venda
ysoft
ermi
nat
ionofe
mpl
oyme
nt.
Ama
ximumo
fsi
xwor
kingda
ysgr
ant
edt
oeve
rye
mpl
oye
etowor
kandt
henr
est
.
Empl
oyeest
owor k8hoursada
ya n
d48hour
sawe
eka
ndbepa
idove
rti
mef
orwor
kdone
i
naddi
ti
ontothepre
scr
ibe
dtime.

2
Enti
tl
ementtos e
vendaysle a
veforeveryfourmonthsc
onti
nuous
lyworke
daspartofthe
annua
lleaveschemeundertheActanda l
sobeacc
ordedaday’
sholi
dayonapubl
ichol
iday
orbefac
il
itat
edwholl
ya tworkonwo r
kingonapubli
choli
day.
60daysmater
nityle
avewit
hf ul
lpaya ndatle
astfourwe
eksfol
lowi
ngc
hil
dbi
rt
hor
mis
car
ri
ageongivi
ngseve
ndays
’noti
ceofthes
ametot
heempl
oye
r.
Fourda
yspa
ter
nit
yle
avea
nnua
ll
yaf
terc
hil
dbi
rt
horde
li
ver
yongi
vingnot
ic
e.
Suspens
ionisli
mi t
edtoama xi
mum of15daysforeve
rysi
xmonthsper
iodanddis
pli
nar
y
act
ionhastobetakenwit
hin15daya
fte
rtheocc
urre
nceofi
ndi
sci
pli
neoft
heemploye
e.
TheProbat
iona
ryperi
odfore
mployme
nti
snotmor ethansi
xmont hsand14da
ys’noti
ceof
di
smis
s a
landr equi
redt
obegi vent
oane mployeei ntheprobati
onar
yperi
oda ndthe
empl
oyeeha st
obepaidr
emuner
ati
oni
nse
vendaysa f
terdi
smis
sal.
Paymentofseve
ranc
eal
lowancetot
hedece
ase
demploye
e’sf
amil
ywi
thi
nseve
nda ysoft
he
noti
ceofdea
thandnon-
paymentofs
eve
rancea
ll
owa
nc ei
ncas
esumma
rydis
missa
l.
Exc
lus
ionofhi
ghma
nage
ria
landf
ami
lye
mpl
oye
esf
romr
esta
fte
rsi
xda
ys.
Pr
ohi
bit
ionoff
orc
edl
abour
.
Cont
inui
tyofs
ervi
ce.
Col
le
cti
vet
ermi
nat
ionofe
mpl
oye
es.
Compe
nsa
ti
onofe
mpl
oye
esi
nca
sesofunf
airt
ermi
nat
ion.
Di
spl
ina
rype
nal
ti
esa
ndHe
ari
nga
nyf
ormoft
ermi
nat
ion.
Ent
it
le
mentt
oac
ert
if
ica
teofs
ervi
cea
fte
rempl
oyme
nti
nawor
kpl
ace
.
Thes
tre
aml
ini
ngoft
hepowe
rsoft
hel
abourof
fi
cer
.
Pr
ohi
bit
ionofe
mpl
oyme
ntofc
hil
dre
nbe
low12ye
arsofa
ge.
Pr
ohi
bit
ionofa
nyki
ndofdi
scr
imi
nat
ionf
rome
mpl
oyme
nt.
Pr
ohi
bit
ionofs
exua
lha
ras
sme
nti
nthewor
kpl
ace
.
Thea
dmi
nis
tra
ti
onoft
hea
cti
sunde
rthemi
st
erf
orl
abour
.

RELEVANCEOFLABOURLAW
Codi
fi
cat
iona
ndc
lar
it
yinr
espe
ctofe
mpl
oye
rsa
nde
mpl
oye
e’sdut
ie
sandr
ight
s.
Pr
ote
cti
onofe
mpl
oye
e’sr
ight
s.
Trit
ec l
assi
fi
cat
ion ofworke
rst
huss
tre
aml
ini
ng t
he di
ff
ere
nce be
twe
eni
nde
pende
nt
contr
act
orsande
mployee
s.
Chi
ldp
rot
ect
ionf
roma
nda
twor
k.
Pr
ovi
dest
ime
li
nesa
ndl
imi
ta
ti
onf
ordi
ff
ere
nta
cti
onsr
ela
ti
ngt
oempl
oye
es.
De
mar
cat
ionofwor
kinghour
s,da
ysonl
eavea
ndma
nda
tor
yre
stda
ys.
3
El
imi
nat
ionofwor
kre
lat
eddi
scr
imi
nat
ion.
Di
sput
ere
sol
uti
oni
nla
bourdi
sput
esa
nds
ett
le
mentofl
abourdi
sput
es.
Compe
nsa
ti
onf
ore
mpl
oye
es.
Sa
fet
yandHe
alt
hinwor
kpl
ace
s.
Re
cogni
ti
ona
nde
mpowe
ringwor
ker
suni
ons
.
Pr
ote
cti
onf
rome
xpl
oit
at
iona
twor
kpl
ace
sandI
mpr
ove
swor
kre
lat
ions
.
I
NSTI
TUTI
ONALFRAMEWORK.
Thea dmi nist
rat
ionoft heEmpl oyme ntAc ti nUga ndaisve s
te dint heMi nist
ryofLa bour,
Ge ndera n d Soc i
alDe velopme nt.Di fferentSt ate Mi nist
erswho a rer esponsiblef or
specia
li
s eddut i
esi ntheMi ni st
rya ss
isttheCa binetMi nist
erint heRunni ngoft heMi nist
ry.
Not et
ha ttheMi nisterist hePol it
icalhe adoft hemi ni
str
y.TheMi nistr
yha sDire ct
oratesfor
thePrope rma nage me ntofl a bourr e
lations .Fi rst
ly,theDi rectorat
eofLa bourEmpl oyme nt
andOc cupa ti
onalSa fety,whi chist h
er e spons ibleforimpl eme nta
tionofl abourpol i
ciesand
laws.Thedi r
ectorateha sdi ffer
entde pa r
tme nt sna mely;l abour,i ndust
rialre l
at
ionsa nd
producti
vity,empl oyme ntservices,Oc cupa tiona lSafet
ya ndHe alt
h.Di ff
erentcommi s s
ioners
heada lle n
lis
ted de partme nts. Se c ondl y,Di rect
orate of Ge nde ra nd Communi ty
De vel
opme nt
,thirdly,di rectorat
eofs oc ialpr otectionandot he radmi nis
trati
vedi rect
orates
andDe partments.Conc l
usive l
y,t heMi nistryGe nderha ndi nha ndwi thot hera gencies
name l
yt heI ndustri
alCour t,NSSF,Uga ndaYout hCounc i
l,Uga ndaWome n’sCounc iland
theNa t
iona lCounc i
lForChi ldr
ent oimpr ovel abourc onditi
ons ,
Empl oyme ntc ontractsa ndl abourl awspr ovi def orinterna ldis
put eresolutionme cha nismsi n
thes e ttl
eme ntofl abourdi spute sun derSe c ti
on66oft heEmpl oyme ntAc t
.Howe ver,it
shoul dbenot edtha tifthei nterna lmec hanismsf a i
l,t
he nt hee mploye eca nf i
leac ompl aintto
thel abourof f i
cerUnde rSe c t
ion93oft heEmpl oyme ntAc t.Itha stobenot edt hatunde r
Se cti
on8oft heEmpl oyme ntAc teverydi str
ictisma nda tedt oe st
ablishal abourof ficewi t
ha
labourof f
icera ppointed by t he di st
ri
c tSe r
vic ec ommi ssion.Eve n mor e,t he Loc al
Gove rnme ntsAc tha spr ovisionf orthea dmi nist
rati
o na nds ettle
me ntoft heLa bourr elated
labourI ss
uesa sr eit
e r
atedunde rSe ct
ion8a nd9oft heEmpl oyme ntAc t.InCa set hel abour
officerdoe snots ett
leadi sputeori fonepa rt
yi snotc ontentedwi tht hede cisionoft he
La bourof f
icer.thea ggrieve dpa rt
yha st her ighttof ileac laim ora ppe altotheI ndustri
al
cour tf orar eme dyUnde rSe cti
on94oft heEmpl oy me ntAc ta ndSe c
tion7oft heLa bour
Di spute s( Arbitr
a t
ion a nd Se ttl
eme nt)Ac t,2006 ( No. 8).Thus ,int ernalme chani s
ms
comme ncethes ettl
e me nts,the nthel a
bourof ficerandt heI ndustri
alc ourt.
COLLECTI
VELABOURLAW VS.I
NDI
VIDUALLABOURLAW
Collecti
veLabourLa wde al
swithcoll
ect
iveba rga
iningbe t
we e
nt heempl oyerandagroupof
empl oyeest
ode t
erminet hecondit
ionsofempl oyme ntofemploye e
sindi ffe
rentworkplaces
andde s
ignat
ionswi tht hes uppor
tofal abourUni onorOr ganisat
ion.La bourUnionsi n
Uga ndaa r
esu pport
edbyt heConstit
uti
onoft heRe p ubl
icofUga ndaa ndtheLa bourUnions
Ac t2006whi leindividuallabourl
a wisthelawt ha tdeal
swi t
hther elat
ionshipbetwee
nt he
empl oyeeandt heempl oye rwit
houttheinvolveme ntofthetradeunions.The refor
e,Labour
l
e gis
lati
onsli
ket heEmpl oymentAc t
,2006a r
ei nsup por
toftheIndivi
dua llabourla
w.