Hima cement signs collective bargaining agreement for 2007 - 2009 with trade union

Hima Cement is to again improve on the terms of employment for its union staff following the signing of a collective bargaining agreement between Hima Cement and it’s employees’ trade union, the Uganda Building Construction, Civil Engineering, Cement and Allied Workers’ Union for the period 2007 – 2009.

 

Under the agreement, all Hima staff who are members of the union will receive another increase in basic salary, shift allowance, housing allowance and gratuity based on the agreed 7% increment in order to align the employees’ package with the prevailing economic conditions.

 

Lafarge Cement considers its employees worldwide as its most important asset and is continuosly striving to see that their needs are catered for. Hima Cement has about 300 permanent employees half of whom are members of the union.

 

Speaking during the signing of the agreement, Hima Cement’s Human Resource Manager Tio Kauma said, “Hima Cement recognises that we must offer competitive employment packages if we are to attract and retain the best employees and thereby remain one of the top companies in the region. As such we have once again improved the employment package for our trade union employees for the period 2007 – 2009.”

 

Tio Kauma added that in addition to the increased salaries, Hima Cement will under the agreement improve on the welfare facilities that it is providing to its employees at the Kasese plant. “We shall provide both DStv and GTV to all staff, build a new canteen, build new changing rooms and build a new health center in addition to the social center that we have that is equipped with a library and a computer room. All this is so as to make living and working at the Kasese plant condusive for our employees and their families considering how far it is from the city” said Tio Kauma.

 

The General Secretary of the Trade Union, Mr. Mesalimu Oloka thanked Hima Cement for once again proving its commitment to constinuously improve employee welfare and for supporting the union and its members.

 

“As a union, our responsibility is to ensure that the freedom of association that is enshrined in the labour laws of Uganda is maintained and that we use this freedom of association to negotiate for better packages for our members with employers in Uganda. We are happy to conclude negotiations for the period 2007 – 2009 with Hima Cement and would like to thank them for cooperating and working with us. We call on other manufacturers to emulate Hima Cement in its relationship with the trade union” said Mr. Oloka

Hima Cement is part of Lafarge East Africa which is comprised of Bamburi Cement in Kenya and Mbeya Cement in Tanzania.

 

Lafarge East Africa is the largest cement provider in East Africa and is part of the Lafarge Cement group which is the largest cement provider in the world with over 80,000 employees on all the continents.

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