Kitgum District has recorded only two labour-related complaints from workers in the informal sector since the district labour office was established in 2018, a trend that brings out widespread ignorance about labour rights and workplace protections among both workers and employers.
According to Joyce Adule, the Senior Labour Officer for Kitgum District, one of the reported cases involved workers at a hotel, while the other concerned a young woman who alleged mistreatment by her employer after learning about labour rights through a radio talk show.
Adule told Favour fm that many residents, especially those employed in the informal sector, remain unaware of their labour rights and the services available through the district labour office.
She notes that both workers and employers often lack adequate knowledge of their respective rights and responsibilities, a situation that contributes to underreporting of labour-related grievances and limits efforts to address workplace violations.
She urges workers and their families to report cases of abuse, delayed wages, workplace injuries, unsafe working conditions, and other forms of labour exploitation to the labour office for assistance.
While complaints from the informal sector remain rare, Adule notes that the labour office regularly receives reports from workers in the formal sector, including employees of government institutions, non-governmental organisations, and community-based organisations.
Most of these complaints involve delayed salaries, non-payment of wages, and workplace accidents.
The concerns emerge as Kitgum District marks a belated Labour Day celebration amid increasing concerns over child labour, delayed wages, workplace injuries, unsafe working environments, and weak enforcement of labour protections in parts of the district.
By URN
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