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A. LE FLOCH
THE Sugar Corporation of Uganda (SCOUL) has reinstates 50 workers who had been fired for taking part in a violent strike over poor remunerations last year.
Workers' MP, Joram Pajobo, said the workers were part of the 76 who were arrested and charged before the magistrates' court in Lugazi.
"They (workers) had been sacked but I intervened and now they have been reinstated," he explained.
The sackings had been related to the November 14-27,2007 incidents in which the workers went on strike demanding an increase of their sh60,000 take-home pay.
The over 150 workers went amok, torching over 200 acres of sugarcane and pine trees belonging to SCOUL. They also vandalised tractors and buildings.
The Police arrested 79 workers and charged them with arson and malicious damage.
Regarding the workers' remunerations, Pajobo said the workers union would sit in June to deliberate on matters pertaining to welfare and working conditions.
"We (union) will sit and negotiate for a salary increase before presenting our position to SCOUL management. This will take place in June 2008," he said.
He said a move by SCOUL to reduce payment of casual labourers during the Christmas season had been thwarted.
Sources at the Lugazi-based sugar firm revealed that a high-level meeting had been convened to address the plantation workers' plight.
Attempts to get a comment from S.C. Khanna, the SCOUL chief executive officer, were futile as his phone was off.
SCOUL is one of the major producers of sugar in the country.