The Uganda Medical Workers Union has sued striking doctors and medical practitioners for engaging in an illegal industrial action.
The union has also sued the President of the Uganda Medical Association, Dr. Ekwaro Ebuku and Workers MP Dr. Sam Lyomoki, demanding for damages resulting from announcing a strike without following the prescribed legal procedures.
According to the suit before the High Court in Kampala, the Uganda Medical Workers Union, the National Organisation of Trade Unions and the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union are the only organisations mandated to hold negotiations on behalf of health workers.
The Union is therefore asking court to issue permanent orders that bar any other persons from purporting to represent health workers.
The union also accuses Dr.Ebuku of having no mandate to call for the health Workers strike, since he’s not working in any public or government facility, to purport to represent the socio -economic interests of public health workers.
The Union wants all negotiations between government and the Uganda Medical Association declared null and void, and a court order for government to hold such negotiations with the mandated bodies.
The Uganda Medical Association announced a sit down strike of doctors last week on Monday, until government increase their salaries and improves working conditions.
