Drama ensued after the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was called in to calm down at least employees of 400 China Railway Seventh Group who had laid down their tools at the company offices along Gayaza road protesting sexual harassment and poor payment schemes.
According to our reporter, the workers are up in arms against their bosses for sexually harassing female employees, while those who reject their advances suffer with poor pay, and unbalanced payment schemes.
Erias Lukwago rushed to the scene alongside his Kawempe Division counterpart Emmanuel Sserunjoji and held a closed door meeting with the company management.
Shortly after the meeting Lukwago told reporters who had been waiting outside that they have reached a compromise to close the company for two days to allow management some time to deal with the accusations and come up with solutions.
He added that city councilors will on Thursday visit the company premises to find out if the measures agreed upon in the meeting have been taken. According to the Lord Mayor, if nothing is done, the Chinese company contract will be terminated.
He decried an increase in cases of sexual harassment and poor working conditions in general against Chinese contractors while Parliament looks on.
“We are really touched by these cases of sexual harassment; they are rampant in all these Chinese companies. They keep coming up and I wonder why parliament is not taking this matter seriously so that they address this question of sex molestation and sexual harassment” Lukwago said.
He warned that failure by the company to adhere to their calls, they will face the consequences.
“On Thursday morning, councilors will be here to ensure that there is compliance of the resolutions made today. Short of that we shall come back and take other drastic measures. These are our contractors, we can easily terminate this contract, it’s possible” he added.
The employees accuse their employers for only paying those who agree to their sexual advances while they dismissal or harass those who decline.
This is their 3rd strike within less than 4months employees at the same company are striking but their concerns are yet to be addressed.
