Uganda: A year after deadly Holcim fire, justice eludes workers
According to BWI’s sources, the accident was probed by a multi-agency team that comprised the Ugandan Police, the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development (MGLSD), and the National Building Review Board (NBRB). The NBRB, which is in charge of releasing the formal report, has yet to publish and disclose its conclusions to the public. Many are baffled that the report has not yet been released and made public.
BWI’s affiliate was able to contact three of the four families of the workers killed in the disaster. Only two families were allegedly compensated, while there is no word from the third. The method of calculating the compensation packages was unclear, leaving everyone wondering if the sum was appropriate. Meanwhile, no compensation whatsoever was given to the injured workers who suffered physically and mentally from the accident.
According to BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson,” a worldwide and deadly pattern of work-related accidents has harmed and killed many Holcim workers.” "Apologising for this latest disaster in Uganda, on top of the others, is no longer sufficient. Instead of lavish dividends and compensation to its management at the expense of decent jobs for workers and compensation to the families of those who died on the job, Holcim should justly compensate all of its workers who have been injured or killed on the job, eliminate any kind of abuse of subcontracted and third-party workers, and exercise due diligence in the selection, management, and compliance of contractors," he said.