Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, Ugandans will observe the International Labour Day on Friday 1st May 2020 as a public holiday in their homes.
The announcement was made by Frank Tumwebaze the minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development while addressing the Press in Kampala on Tuesday morning.
According to Hon. Tumwebaze, this year’s International Labour Day Celebration was supposed to be held in Mbarara, but will not take place due to the lockdown. “We shall not have the usual public gatherings and the associated ceremonies for the same reasons stated earlier. But owing to the great importance that we attach to this Day, we are expecting His Excellency the President to make a televised address to the nation on Friday 1st May 2020. Once confirmed, we shall inform you to prepare to receive the President’s message accordingly” he noted.
Hon. Tumwebaze also urged employers not to terminate employees due to the current situation that has left many companies broke.
Today the 28th April, is a day set aside as The World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
The minister says he convened a Tripartite Meeting of Government, Workers (represented by the National Organization of Trade Unions, NOTU and the Central Organization of Free Trade Unions, COFTU), and Employers; (represented by the Federation of Uganda Employers, FUE to discuss and agree on a number of issues regarding the effects of COVID-19 on Employment including job security and the possible mitigation measures.
The Tripartite Meeting encouraged employers and workers are to find win-win solutions through dialogue as far, be taken as the last resort, after all the available softer options have been exhausted.
The meeting also advised that employees should be encouraged to take pending annual leave as one of the cost-cutting measures as well as decongesting work-places and where possible, Employees should be encouraged to work from home, not only as a means of reducing over-crowding at the workplace and thereby increasing the risks of infection with COVID19, but as a measure of cutting on overhead costs at the workplace.
