GULU The Gulu University Council has ordered striking teaching and non-teaching staff to immediately resume work as they look into demands to enhance their salaries .
In a letter dated February 17,2025 addressed to all academic, administrative and support staff of public universities, the leadership of the Forum for Academic Staff of Public Universities (FASPU) and Non-teaching Executive Forum (PUNTSEF), indicated they had decided to lay down their tools after government failed to respond to their pleas for a pray rise.
“Reference is made to the PUNTSEF and FASPU resolution of January 8, 2025and subsequent resolutions by the staff of various public universities that if there is no reply to the letter dated January 9, 2025 to the Minister of Public Service, we shall withdraw our labour effective February16, 2025 until the money for salary enhancement for outstanding categories of staff is included in the National Budget for the Financial Year 2025/2026,”PUNTISEF chairperson, Mr Jackson Betihamah’s letter reads in part.
According to Mr Betihamah , the leadership of FASPU- PUNTSEF had not received any feedback from the minister of Public Service by February 17,2025
“Therefore, all staff in public universities withdrew their labour as notified on January 9, 2025,” he added .In a statement dated February 20signed by chairperson of Gulu University Academic Staff Association (GUASA),the university staff said they had joined other public universities in a sit down strike effective February 22.
However, the statement, said staff in security unit, salary unit, medical health unit, science insectary and multi-functional laboratory and projects will remain at their duty stations for seven days as management finds “an alternative to their service delivery”.
But in a letter addressed to GUASA chairperson dated February 24, Ms Theresa Mary Obbo, the chairperson of Gulu University Council , said the staff associations do not have any legal mandate to close the university as stipulated in the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act,2001,Section(40 and 41) (as amended) .“… all the staff should report back to work with immediate effect as guided by the Ministry of Public Service in its letter Ref Com 006/135/01 Vol.25 dated 20th February 2025,”she said
Ms Obbo said the timeframe in which GUASA members requested the university council management to respond to their demands is too short for both the council and management to engage with other stakeholders for adequate consultations over the matter.‘’ …the university council together with top management will have an emergence council meeting to discuss the issues contained in the letter from the joint staff associations,” she said
Ms Obbo said the university council together with management will provide a response “if any as requested within a reasonable period of time”
Striking staffers respond:
Responding to Ms Obbo’s directive , Ms Walter Okot, the chairperson GUASA ,said they will have a joint emergency staff association meeting this Wednesday to internalise the reply of the Chairperson of the University Council.
“….to review the overall implementation of the Industrial Action across other Public Universities to ascertain the strategies they have adopted. To discuss the guidance from FASPU/PUNTSEF concerning the reply to our resolution,”
“I therefore urge you all to remain calm in the face of the reply to our resolution.”
The striking staffs from various public universities including; Makerere , Kyambogo University, Busitema University, Soroti University, Lira University, Gulu University, Makerere University Business School and Mbarara University of Science and Technology want the government to increase salaries of all the university staff in PSU 5 to PSU15.
The salaries of professors and associate professors was increased to 100 per cent in the 2019/2020 budget. They claim government promised to increase their salary later, but when the Covid-19 pandemic came, government asked them to be patient.
To date, nothing has happened as earlier promised, the university staff complain . Background In 2015, President Museveni directed for salary enhancement of teaching staff in public universities, with professors earning Shs15 million per month each. The other staff’s enhancement would subsequently, according to Mr Museveni’s directive. Since then, the staff in public universities have been staging numerous on and off sit down strikes to compel the government fulfill its pledge, but all in vain.
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