Lira University calls on striking staff to resume work

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LIRA - Lira University, a public higher institution in Lira City, has called upon its striking staff at the Teaching Hospital to report to duty as the Ministry of Public Service works out modalities to address the grievances and enhance their salaries.

The vice chancellor, Prof. Jasper Ogwal Okeng, says the industrial action has been taken with insufficient notice and without regard to due process.

On March 1, 2024, the Lira University branch of the National Union of Educational Institutions (NUEI), notified the university management of the industrial action to kick off on March 4, 2024, due to the delay in enhancing their salaries.

In a press statement signed by Phyllis Ocwa, the branch secretary, they said attempts to convince the management to offer new appointment letters and salary increments had hit a dead end.

“An emergency Lira University meeting was convened about the same matter on 29th Aug, 2023 where several adjustments were made on the salary structure which created new positions that required the University to give new appointment letters for those new positions with new salary allocations,” Ocwa said. 

“Several engagements have been made with the University management but turned futile,” he added.

As a result, Ocwa says it prompted NUEI-Lira University branch secretariat to convene a general meeting on October 25 last year and resolved to give the university 60 days to address some of the grievances but they have since elapsed.

The demands were that new appointment letters be issued, a new salary scale effective and salary arrears to be processed and paid to the affected staff.

Demands expired

“It expired on the 31st December but there was ongoing dialogue with the office of the vice chancellor; however the terms and conditions of the dialogue have not been fulfilled and therefore the industrial action resumes on 4th March,” the letter noted.  

But in a statement yesterday Tuesday, Prof. Ogwal requested the personnel to resume work because the matters are being handled with the Ministry of Public Service.

He added that most of the striking staff have diploma qualifications but all their doctors, nurses, and midwives with degrees are at their stations alongside willing diploma staff.

“We expect our staff to report to duty as these matters are being handled with the Ministry Of Public Service,” he said, adding that the hospital is not closed as some people are claiming.