An Examination of Unfair Termination in The Labour Industry in Uganda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF LEGISLATIONS ............................................................................................................. v

TABLE OF CASES ....................................................................................................................... vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................... vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. viii

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ..................................................................................... I

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ........................................................................................ 3

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY .............................................................................................. 5

1.3 .I. General Objective ................................................................................................................. 5

1.3 .2. Specific Objectives ............................................................................................................... 5

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................... 5

1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ......................................................................................... 6

1.6. SCOPE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................................ 6

1.7. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 6

1.8. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................ 7

1.9. ORGANISATIONAL LAYOUT ............................................................................................. 8

CHAPTER TWO

EFFICACY OF THE LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS ON THE

RIGHTS TO WORK

2.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 9

2.2. INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORKS ON THE RIGHTS TO WORK ................... 9

2.2.1 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights States, 1948 .................................................... 9

2.2.2 The international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states, 1966 ............. 9

2.2.3 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948 ..................................................... I 0

2.2.4 International Covenant in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), 1966 ........... I 0

2.2.5 The Convention Concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to ........ II

2.2.6 International Labour Standards (ILS) .................................................................................. 12

2.2.7. Promotion and Protection of Rights to Work under International Human Rights .............. 13

2.3 An International Legal Frameworks for Fair and Stable Globalisation in Relation to Rights to

Work ............................................................................................................................................. 14

viii

2.4.1 CONTINENTAL AND REGIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORKS ON THE RIGHTS TO

WORK .......................................................................................................................................... 15

2.4.2. Afi·ican Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (AFRICAN CHARTER) ........................ 15

2.4.3. Right to Work under EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC) ........................................ 16

2.5. NATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................................. I 7

2.5. I. Constitutional and Legal Frameworks on the Rights to Work ........................................... I 8

2.5.1.1. The Right to Work under the National Laws of Uganda ................................................. 21

2.5.2. Employment Act 2006 ........................................................................................................ 21

2.5.3 Labour Union Act 2006 ....................................................................................................... 22

2.5.4. Workers Compensation Act Cap 225 ................................................................................. 23

2.5.5. Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006 ......................................................................... 23

2.5.6. Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act 2006 .................................................... 24

2.5.7. Labour Legislation in Uganda ............................................................................................ 24

2.5.8. Economic and Social Rights in Uganda .............................................................................. 25

2.5.9. Employment Protection in Uganda ..................................................................................... 26

2.6. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS .................................................................................... 27

2.6.1. Industrial Court ................................................................................................................... 27

2.6.2 Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Rights to Work in Uganda ....... 28

2.6.3. THE UGANDA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND RIGHTS OF WORKERS ..... 29

2.6.4 Trade Union Associations .................................................................................................... 31

CHAPTER THREE

EXAMINE HOW THE TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE LABOUR

INDUSTRY IS CONDUCTED UNFAIRLY

3.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 32

3.2 INSTANCES HOW TERMINATION HAS BEEN CONDUCTED UNFAIRLY UNDER

THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL ................................................................................................ 32

3.3. HOW TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT IS BEING CONDUCTED UNFAIRLY IN

AFRICA ........................................................................................................................................ 34

3.4. EMPLOYMENT ACT, 2006 OF UGANDA ........................................................................ 37

3.5 INSTANCES WHERE AN EMPLOYER CAN TERMINATE AN EMPLOYEE FROM

WORK. ......................................................................................................................................... 38

3.6. CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT CAN BE

TERMINATED ............................................................................................................................. 41

CHAPTER FOUR

HOW THE COURTS HAVE TRIED TO ENFORCE, EXAMINE AND IMPLEMENT

THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON UNFAIR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT IN

THE LABOUR INDUSTRY IN UGANDA

4. I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 45

ix

4.2. COURTS HAVE BASED THEIR IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH THE

EMPLOYMENT ACT, 2006 OF UGANDA AND CASE LAW ................................................ 45

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSES THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON

UNFAIR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE LABOUR INDUSTRY

5.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 49

5.2. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS ........................................................................................ 49

5.3. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 50

5.4. RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................... 50

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 53