ULGWU STRIKE RECIEVES MIXED RESPONSE AMONG WORKERS IN WEST NILE

By Guye Elizabeth and Onzoma Albert
Arua City

The ongoing sit-down strike in Uganda, initiated on October 1, 2025, involving over 35,000 local government workers and is driven by unresolved salary disparities between local and central government employees.

Led by the Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU), the strike aims to address issues of pay inequity, which union officials claim undermine workers’ morale and productivity.

Hassan Lwabayi Mudiba, the secretary of Uganda local government workers union, stated that, despite efforts to negotiate with the government, no agreements have been reached, prompting the local government workers to take industrial action.

“We got a letter from the public service in 2019 that by 2021 they would have increased the local government workers salaries by 35% but up to now nothing has taken place so that’s why we gave them notice and they didn’t respond we laid down our working tools down and also there are so many other issues affecting local government workers” he said.

The strike’s response has been mixed across different districts, in some areas like Arua district and City, the strike has been low-key, with most workers reporting for duty, indicating a limited participation and a strategic decision by workers in these locations.

Similarly, other districts such as Madi Okollo and Terego had seen many number of local government workers at their duty stations, with many staying away from the industrial action.

Some Local government officials, including Emmanuel Urombi, the LC 5 Chairman of Nebbi district, confirmed that, the industrial action indicated mixed responses among local government workers in Nebbi district.

“There are others who are working and others are not but apparently all heads of the departments they are around except the lower workers most of them did not come but the heads of the departments they are around for them they are not on strike but office attendant, secretary and all others for them they are at home almost 80% of drivers have not come” he said.

The situation remains fluid, with stakeholders awaiting government action and further negotiations.

The industrial action highlights ongoing tensions within Uganda’s public service sector concerning pay disparities and resource allocation.

While some workers defy strike calls, possibly for personal or institutional reasons, the overall outcome depends on government response and the extent of workers’ participation nationwide.

The strike underscores the need for a resolution to prevent further disruption of essential government functions and ensure the morale and productivity of local government staff are restored.