Unrest Over Health Sector Remuneration: What is the Problem?

Abstract

Employee unrest over remuneration in the Ugandan health sector is an old problem. Although salaries have been increasing since 1990, the country has witnessed more strikes in this period than before. In fact, one has the impression of a constantly looming strike by the health workers over poor remuneration. The salary is still meagre when compared to the cost of living. But I will also argue that the cause of pay unrest is associated with lack of pay policy and proper job evaluation. I will demonstrate that government has largely managed salaries by crisis –mainly responding to emerging complaints. Although remuneration refers to all forms of employee reward, here it will simply mean salary because of the notion of “consolidated pay package” in the Uganda public service. And although I am aware of its wide definition, I will use the term “health sector” to mean public departments that are financed and, or regulated by the Ministry of Health, for the purpose of this presentation.