Government is in the process of restructuring the salary scale in the civil service before they can ably pronounce themselves on the minimum wage that is being agitated for by the public.
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly wage an employer is required to pay a worker.
This was revealed by the minister of trade, industry and cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde while meeting the director general of the Confederation of Norwegian enterprises, Kristin Skogen Lund, at the residence of the Norwegian Ambassador to Uganda, in Bugolobi.
“Right now it is still difficult to come up with a uniform wage or salary because the salary structures are not the same. Some people get much more and others very little,” said Kyambade.
She also added that the matter is being followed up by the minister of gender labour and social development and public service.
The lack of minimum wage was first debated upon by parliament in 2011 to stop the exploitation of workers by profit minded investors.
Uganda last set a minimum wage in 1984 at sh6000 per month under a decree that has remained in force to date.
Skogen was concluding her two day visit to Uganda to find out how employers under the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) that is funded by the Norwegian government.
The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise is the main representative business organization for Norwegian employers with over 20,000 member companies ranging from small family-owned businesses to multi-national companies.
In Uganda they have been involved in skills development among employers through the female future programme that empowers professional women with leadership skills so as to compete for executive positions like the male counterparts.
By Prossy Nandudu, The New Vision