Move to change Industrial Court sparks outrage

Workers' Members of Parliament and top officials from the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) have strongly rejected a government proposal to make the Industrial Court a division of the High Court, reports the Daily Monitor. Speaking after a workshop for leaders of Cotu-affiliated trade unions on Saturday, Workers' MP Arinaitwe Rwakajara said: ‘They want to make it like any other court and remove the representatives of the trade unions from the panel of judges, which is very unfortunate.’ Rwakajara emphasised that Workers' MPs will not allow the government to proceed with its plan. Cotu chairman General John Siel Oketcho, who is aspiring to become a Workers' MP, said the industrial court is the only tool they have as workers. ‘As workers, we shall not allow it because we are now advocating for increasing judges.’ The proposal to move the Industrial Court to the High Court was initially mooted by Gender Minister Betty Amongi, who argued that the court's budget being under the Ministry of Gender was disadvantageous to its judges and affected service delivery. ‘The Industrial Court plays a vital role in handling cases from labour officers, yet it operates with only two judges. Ideally, they require at least five judges to function efficiently. Given the judiciary's budget is protected, I propose that the court's budget be returned to the judiciary. This would ensure the court receives adequate funding and its judges enjoy the same privileges as their counterparts in other courts,’ she argued. However, workers' legislators opposed this move, noting it would undermine the court's spirit. The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, had to ask the Attorney-General, Kiwanuka Kiryowa, to provide Parliament with a legal opinion on the proposal.

Full Daily Monitor report