President Museveni has advised employers to stop copying the European culture by laying off their staff because of the current crisis of COVID -19.
The president was officiating at the international Labour day celebrations at State House Entebbe.
The event was supposed to happen in Mbarara, but due to prevailing situations, they opted for ‘scientific’ celebrations.
Museveni says laying off workers is not a good idea.
In his national address at the statehouse Entebbe on Friday afternoon, the president advised employers to stop laying off workers because the economy will improve tomorrow.
”because the Europeans are laying off you also lay off. if they sleep on the streets you will also do the same. Museveni said.
He asked employers to desist from using the term layoff which they hardly understand and instead opt for the word leave.
The president advises employers to give their workers a leave until the situation has cleared.
”I do not want to hear employers talking about laying off workers. Tell them to stay home for some time as you recover and then bring them back in.” Museveni said.
The president noted that if Ugandans followed his plan, the economy would be stronger than it has been.
On the same issue the Gender, Labor, and Social Development Minister Frank Tumwebaze urged employers to follow the law while laying off their workers.
Speaking before the presidential address he said they had observed that the pandemic has affected the employers and employees and interventions have been made guiding that dialogue is the best way to manage the relationship between the two during the pandemic.
”We encouraged employers that if they are to lay off workers, they should follow the law” Tumwebaze said.
